Photo: wired.co.uk
Just like it was the case with other technologies in the past, it seems like emergency in-car calling will be made mandatory throughout Europe by 2018. The European Parliament voted to make this system standard not only in passenger cars but also in light trucks across the EU.
At the moment, European highways account for more than 25,700 victims every year. The number is decreasing as per the strategy laid out by the European Comission some 20 years ago, but it still claims too many lives according to the governing body of the EU.
Using eCall would allow the emergency services to respond faster and more efficiently in case of a serious accident. According to the project that was voted in the Parliament, this will be a public service, free of charge for all citizens, no matter of the type of vehicle or the price.
This way, according to the European Commission, the response times can be reduced by 40 percent in urban areas and even 50 percent in rural ones. This will also lead to a reduction of fatalities by ten percent which accounts for roughly 2,500 lives per year.
That’s because people are afraid of abuses and the possibility of tracking cars for other purposes as well. Some even speculate that to some extent, the eCall system could be used to spot traffic violations and even fine people without them even knowing.
Sure, it all seems pretty far fetched, but it could happen. What’s your take on the matter? Should this be made mandatory or still be available as a no-cost optional feature?
Using eCall would allow the emergency services to respond faster and more efficiently in case of a serious accident. According to the project that was voted in the Parliament, this will be a public service, free of charge for all citizens, no matter of the type of vehicle or the price.
So what does eCall do?
The service will automatically call 911 (112 in the EU) in case of a serious accident. Not only that but using the car’s sensors, it can send a host of valuable information about the help the victims will need. The paramedics will know the type of car they are going to deal with (in some cases more powerful tools could be needed to get the victims out), the number of passengers in the car at the time of the accident and the exact location.This way, according to the European Commission, the response times can be reduced by 40 percent in urban areas and even 50 percent in rural ones. This will also lead to a reduction of fatalities by ten percent which accounts for roughly 2,500 lives per year.
What about costs? Won’t the automakers inflate prices to offer such technology?
According to the EU legislators that won’t be an issue. That’s because they estimate that the new system will add only around $100 to the price of a brand new car. That’s an optimistic estimate if you ask us though as we’re sure car makers will have a different point of view.What about privacy?
A lot of people are saying that while this feature could, indeed, save lives, it could also trample over the privacy of people. Tracking cars at all times could be used for other purposes in the future, claim the opposers of this action that think that eCall should be kept optional for some time.That’s because people are afraid of abuses and the possibility of tracking cars for other purposes as well. Some even speculate that to some extent, the eCall system could be used to spot traffic violations and even fine people without them even knowing.
Sure, it all seems pretty far fetched, but it could happen. What’s your take on the matter? Should this be made mandatory or still be available as a no-cost optional feature?
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