BMW Assist Advanced eCall Receives Euro NCAP Award

German manufacturer BMW has been awarded by the safety testing institute Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) with a special award for its Assist Advanced eCall, an advanced emergency call system with automatic localization and accident severity detection.

The BMW Assist Advanced eCall forms part of the mobility services provided by BMW ConnectedDrive available in the BMW Assist package for all current BMW models.

The technology was launched in the US in 1997 and two years later in Europe. It automatically contacts a BMW call centre directly after an accident that reroutes the emergency call directly to the emergency services closest to the accident site.

Since 2008, Assist Advanced eCall, now available in Germany, Austria, Italy, and France, also allows the transmission of additional data. The system is even able to provide information on the occupants, the number of activated airbags, the intensity of the collision, and the predicted severity of injuries.

“The data on crash type and severity are analysed by an algorithm developed by BMW scientists for calculating the risk of injuries to the occupants,” a company statement reads. “On the strength of this information the emergency services can prepare in good time and provide adequate medical care to the accident victims. In addition, the system also allows the driver of a BMW to initiate the emergency call manually, for instance to alert emergency services to other road users.”

The Euro NCAP Advanced Award complements Euro NCAP’s existing star rating scheme on adult occupant, pedestrian protection, child safety and safety assist systems. As explained by Euro NCAP’s Secretary General Dr. Michiel van Ratingen, the key objective of the award is to educate consumers on the advantages of innovative safety systems in cars.