Responding to European Commission efforts to regain momentum for the eCall in-vehicle automatic crash notification system, Continental AG’s Automotive Systems division has signed the eCall memorandum of understanding (MOU) and is conducting an eCall demonstration developed in partnership with Airbiquity, Swissphone and an international mobile network operator.

The demonstration transmits accident information via a regular mobile communication network to an emergency call center, which then alerts police and rescue services to the accident scene. It uses existing hardware and software technologies and  mobile network operator (MNO) and public safety access point (PSAP) interfaces.

The eCall in-vehicle automatic crash notification system is expected to save an estimated 2,500 lives and help reduce the 41,000 fatalities and 1.7 million injuries that happen on European roadways each year.