Further challenges of eCall service and infrastructure

The approaching deadline for eCall service implementation for new cars in 2018, raises a series of technical and logistic issues. The eCall service, part of iCar initiative, aims to reduce the road fatalities and severity injured person reduction, for post-crash situations. The eCall service consists into an In Vehicle System (IVS), which will be delivered mandatory on new cars, starting with 2018, able to transmit, in case of an car accident, the necessary data for 112 emergency system. The IVS transmit relevant information, as accident coordinates, type, model, colour, owner using a data message, using Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN). The data packet is treated as an emergency call using a flag discriminator under the form of Minimum Set of Data and carried to nearest Public-Safety Answering Point (PSAP) managed by emergency organizations. After MSD is resolved by 112 systems and relevant information is displayed to 112 operators. After 20 seconds, the 112 system initiates a voice call-back to the source of MSD. The IVS now is used as regular cellular, the operator getting contact with the car driver. If the operator cannot establish a connection and identify the severity of the crash, will dispatch a standard emergency team. However, the eCall can be triggered also manual, pressing a button installed in the car, if the driver is suffering a heart attack or is witness of another accident. In this paper are debated further challenges of eCall implementation, given by adapting the service to specific types of vehicles, like two wheels’ vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, dangerous goods transportation and long distance vehicle transports. The results presented were obtained into iHeERO project, financed by European Comission and previuos research.