EU wants automatic ambulance-caller fitted to cars

The eCall system is estimated to be able to dramatically speed up response times

July 06, 2012 09:48 AM

Government Computer News

BRUSSELS — Europe appears to be out in front of the United States when it comes to using IT to improve transportation and health care costs across state jurisdictions.

The European Parliament (EP) adopted a resolution this week urging adoption of a law that would require all new cars be to equipped with technology to automatically contact rescue services in the event of a crash, Computerworld reported.

The eCall system is estimated to be able to speed up the response times of emergency services by 40 per cent in urban areas and by as much as 50 per cent in rural locations, according to the Touchstone Research Lab.

That would result in an estimated 2,500 lives saved a year and reduce injuries by 10 percent to 15 percent, the research firm said.

The eCall device would automatically dial the European emergency services number, 112, in the event of a serious accident, then send data wirelessly from airbag and impact sensors as well as GPS coordinates to local emergency agencies.

The European Commission is aiming to have a fully functional eCall in place throughout the European Union by 2015, according to telecompaper.com.