The FIA has today welcomed a new European Commission proposal on the emergency call eCall system which sets a target date of 2015 for implementation of the technology in all new, type-approved cars in Europe.

“This is a long over-due and welcome step in the right direction which we hope will be supported by the Parliament and Council. Using the Commission’s own figures, 10,000 lives could have been saved if eCall had been implemented as originally planned in 2009,” said Thierry Willemarck, President of the FIA Region I office, which represents 108 Motoring and Touring Clubs and their 38 million members.

The Commission has estimated that eCall will save up to 2,500 lives in Europe every year, and reduce the severity of injuries and trauma in tens of thousands of cases. The 2015 deadline comes after a delay which goes back to 2009.

The technology mandated by eCall can also support a range of additional services for European motorists such as breakdown assistance services, traffic information, stolen vehicle tracking and pay-as-you-go insurance schemes. While the technology’s potential is indeed recognised in the opening remarks of the proposal, the FIA believes the Commission has not sufficiently anchored the principles of an open platform for third-party service providers and free competition in the text.

“We are happy to see that the Commission has given a signal on the consumers' need for an eCall system which is made accessible free of charge and without discrimination to all independent operators, based on an interoperable and open-access platform for in-vehicle applications and services. This is vital for competition between service providers. It is now the turn of the Parliament and Council to ensure that concrete provisions are added to the text which will guarantee those principles for the benefit of all consumers,” said Mr Willemarck.

Notes to the Editor:

What is eCall?

eCall, an electronic safety system that automatically calls emergency services in the case of a serious car accident, is ready to be deployed across Europe. Even if you are unconscious, the system will inform rescue workers of the crash site's exact location, and the ambulance will be on its way within minutes. The European Commission estimates that eCall will save up to 2,500 lives in Europe every year, and reduce the severity of injuries and trauma in tens of thousands of cases.

Press Release: here
 

Proposal: here

Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Region I office

FIA Region I represents 108 Touring and Motoring Clubs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa from its Brussels office, which total more than 38 million members. The FIA represents the interest of these members as motorists, public transport users, pedestrians and tourists.
 

The FIA’s primary goal is to secure a mobility that is safe, affordable, sustainable and efficient. With these aims in mind the work focuses on Road Safety, Consumer Protection, Environmental Protection, and the promotion of Sustainable Motoring.

For more information, please contact Niall Carty, Communications Manager, FIA Region I: ncarty@fia.com or 02 282 0812