Ecall saves life: This is how the emergency call system works in Austria!

Ecall saves life: This is how the emergency call system works in Austria!

The ECALL system, which has been integrated into new vehicle models since 2018, revolutionizes emergency rescue in road traffic. This intelligent mobile phone device, equipped with an international SIM card and a GPS position data recipient, has already contributed to saving an estimated 40 lives in Austria every year, such as the OTS . In 2024, over 20,000 emergency calls are expected to be discontinued via Ecall, whereby around 15,700 are automatically triggered by sensors in the event of serious accidents. This happens especially in situations in which occupants are not able to call help.

The system establishes a direct connection to the uniform emergency number 112 in Europe, whereby it also transmits all relevant data such as location and vehicle identification. Such information is crucial because they help the rescue workers to react faster and more specifically. The EU Commission emphasizes that Ecall can accelerate the arrival of the rescue workers by up to 50%, which can be life-saving in emergencies, as the adac . In the future, the system will even be further improved by the introduction of Next Generation Ecall, which will be a prerequisite for all new vehicles from 2026.

Advantages and technical details of the Ecall system

one of the outstanding features of the ECALL system is the prioritized connection via the mobile phone network for emergency calls, which guarantees a smooth emergency call in connection with the almost extensive mobile phone coverage in Austria. In the event of an accident, the 112 is automatically selected and the dispatcher immediately receives important data about the accident. This innovative strength not only ensures faster alarms of emergency services, but could also help to significantly reduce the number of traffic fatalities in the coming years.

It is important to note that all new models with a type approval must be equipped with this life -saving system since April 2018. The ADAC assumes that the comprehensive introduction of ECALL could even lead to a decline in 2500 traffic dead per year, which underlines the need for a comprehensive use of this technology.