On 5 November, the implementation timeline and telematics possibilities for eCall were discussed in several EU Parliamentary Committees. The FIA strongly urges policymakers to keep to the 2015 implementation deadline and to not allow this life-saving legislation to be derailed by peripheral and inconsequential arguments. It has been shown that vehicle technical requirements and Member State public service access points are on track to meet the 2015 deadline.
“It is absolutely a shame that this important safety legislation that we’ve been talking about for ten years is still facing obstacles,” said FIA Region I Policy Director, Laurianne Krid. She continued, “The longer implementation of eCall is delayed, the more lives will be lost in car accidents where emergency services cannot reach the scene in time. It is essential that policymakers decide quickly so that eCall can start saving lives.”
The legislation should encompass a clear mandate to discuss the inclusion and development of open telematics platforms over which the eCall data would be communicated. However, this inclusion should not derail or delay the timeline for the 2015 implementation. All parties concerned with this legislation agree that this is an element that must be considered in the long run.
The EU Commission has already invested millions of euros in various projects working on implementation for eCall. This investment should not be wasted as Member States and vehicle manufacturers both have the necessary technology and infrastructure to make eCall a reality with only an additional user cost of 40 EUR per vehicle to install the technology.
For more information please visit the FIA Website
