Only Sweden and Finland support car safety
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EU urges member states to act on car crash hot lines
Steps by the European Union to introduce automatic phone calls to emergency services after a car crash have hit a bump as few member states have so far signed up to the scheme, reports Reuters. In February, the European Commission and the auto industry agreed that all new cars in the EU would be equipped with automatic emergency call (eCall) technology by 2009. Of the bloc's 25 member states, only Finland and Sweden have agreed to install the equipment needed for emergency centres to receive the calls. Germany is set to sign up soon. European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, Viviane Reding, told the Frankfurt car show on Wednesday that eCall could save 2,500 lives a year by calling emergency services more quickly after a crash. After an accident, eCall generates an emergency mobile phone call either manually by the vehicle's occupants or by automatically triggering sensors inside the car. Voice and data are sent to the nearest emergency services centre, which can locate the accident automatically.
"This is the life saver, because it works whether the accident victims are conscious or not," Reding said.
The Commission estimated it would cost 150 euros a car to install the equipment and 50,000 euros to upgrade each emergency call centre.
Steps by the European Union to introduce automatic phone calls to emergency services after a car crash have hit a bump as few member states have so far signed up to the scheme, reports Reuters. In February, the European Commission and the auto industry agreed that all new cars in the EU would be equipped with automatic emergency call (eCall) technology by 2009. Of the bloc's 25 member states, only Finland and Sweden have agreed to install the equipment needed for emergency centres to receive the calls. Germany is set to sign up soon. European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, Viviane Reding, told the Frankfurt car show on Wednesday that eCall could save 2,500 lives a year by calling emergency services more quickly after a crash. After an accident, eCall generates an emergency mobile phone call either manually by the vehicle's occupants or by automatically triggering sensors inside the car. Voice and data are sent to the nearest emergency services centre, which can locate the accident automatically.
"This is the life saver, because it works whether the accident victims are conscious or not," Reding said.
The Commission estimated it would cost 150 euros a car to install the equipment and 50,000 euros to upgrade each emergency call centre.
john75 said:
The Commission estimated it would cost 150 euros a car to install the equipment
!!!!!! That has got to be totally ott for the cost - I mean a few G sensors, a bit of reprogramming and a transmitter. Jezz a mobile costs less than say 40odd euros and the rest is a little reprogramming.
Oh, and a little red button on the dash for Drois to press by accident ever few months
Cars have g-sensors alreday, for cutting off the fuel and ignition in the event of a crash. You just need to connect it to the phone somehow. Maybe that's the bit that costs £100.
Or set your phone to dial '999' with a single key press, then keep your phone in a padded jacket which has a doofah inside pressing against that key. Bit like an executive stress toy... Hit the wall - phone shoots into something - key is pressed. Voila.
Then Plod wil nick you for making a phone call whilst driving. If you happen to be dead or unconscious you get arrested for failing to supply name and address, and your car is impounded and sold at auction to help pay for illegal immigrant's court cases.
Or set your phone to dial '999' with a single key press, then keep your phone in a padded jacket which has a doofah inside pressing against that key. Bit like an executive stress toy... Hit the wall - phone shoots into something - key is pressed. Voila.
Then Plod wil nick you for making a phone call whilst driving. If you happen to be dead or unconscious you get arrested for failing to supply name and address, and your car is impounded and sold at auction to help pay for illegal immigrant's court cases.
Well the thing is, distances here are huge and roads can be some what quiet, especially winter time up in north. What happens when you crash and can´t phone help and it might be a while when someone founds you. Then I think here this might benefit people more than other places in Europe where the roads are busier. But if it comes to spyware, then forget it!
>> Edited by Jonna_Rex on Wednesday 21st September 20:17
>> Edited by Jonna_Rex on Wednesday 21st September 20:17
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