New cars to automatically inform authorities of crashes

The State’s emergency call answering service has been upgraded in order to cope with a new system for motor vehicles that will automatically inform authorities in the event of a crash.

The innovation, called eCall, is an automatic emergency call system for motor vehicles. In the event of the driver or passengers being incapacitated in a crash, eCall will call the emergency services and identify the location of the vehicle.

Carmakers have been instructed to install the technology in all new car and van models from today onwards.

Minister for Communications Denis Naughten confirmed on Saturday that the State's emergency call answering service is now capable of handling eCall communications.

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The system is an emergency call generated either manually by the occupants inside the car by pushing a button or automatically through activation of sensors inside the car following a crash.

The data transmitted contains information about the incident including time, precise location, vehicle type, and an indication whether the eCall has been manually or automatically triggered.

When activated in the Republic, the in-vehicle eCall device will establish an emergency call carrying both voice and data directly to the Emergency Call Answering Service, which will transfer the call to the required emergency service.

Where no voice is carried on the call, eCall technology allows for the data to be transferred directly to the National Ambulance Service.

“eCall is the latest in a series of recent enhancements to the emergency call answering service which has included the incorporation of eircodes and the launch last October of Advanced Mobile Location,” said Mr Naughten.

“I am confident that eCall technology will save lives by helping the emergency services quickly establish the precise location of road accidents and dispatch emergency personnel to motorists in need across the country.”