European Union Urges Vehicle Emergency Reporting

Leaping far beyond American plans to improve highway safety, the European Union (EU) is urging member nations to speed up voluntary adoption of eCall, a system of automatic emergency notification after a vehicle crash, saying it could save 2,500 lives a year. In 2005 the EU commission called upon telecom providers, vehicle manufacturers and public agencies to develop and install the necessary equipment to enable eCall by 2009. The commission issued a reminder again in 2006. But now, the EU commission says, “So far the system is not operational in any EU country.” The commission has re-set the clock on the adoption of eCall, calling for systems in all nation’s by 2014. Download (pdf) the latest description of eCall here. In an unrelated development, negotiations between Hughes Telematics and car company Chrysler to install gear in several vehicle models have failed to reach an agreement. Chrysler was to have included Hughes gear in their cars by the end of this year.