Third-party E-Call : Enhanced emergency response and customer experience
Emergency Call (eCall) systems have been mandated in passenger vehicles in the European Union since 2018. These essential systems are designed to accelerate emergency response times and reduce the number of fatalities and the severity of injuries resulting from road accidents.
Most OEMs provide the minimum to meet the regulation which is:
- Automatic activation of the emergency call in case of a serious accident.
- Transmission of a minimum set of data (MSD), including location, time of incident, and vehicle identification.
- Connection to the emergency number for the market, for example 112 or 999
In this blog we will look at how third-party eCall services can provide OEMs a consistent high-quality experience for customers across all their markets and deliver better outcomes for both their drivers and the emergency services.
Additionally, leveraging a single point of management through third-party eCall provision gives OEMs valuable data insights and greater control over the vehicle recovery and repair process.
Streamlining incident management with precise triage
The core benefit of integrating third-party eCall systems is their ability to deliver immediate and precise triage during emergencies. When an incident occurs, the system connects the vehicle to a specialized support centre, where skilled emergency response operators assess the nature and severity of the event.
Thanks to increasing technological integration, where available from the OEM the third-party eCall response team can access critical additional data such as precise location, direction and speed of travel, occupancy status using seat belt data, and air bag deployment information.
This allows rapid and accurate assessment of the incident and ensures that the appropriate level of assistance is dispatched, whether it’s roadside support for minor issues, or a full-scale emergency response for serious accidents and collisions. By facilitating a more efficient response, eCall systems significantly reduce the response times, by up to 50%!
Minimalizing False Alarms and unnecessary dispatches
A unique advantage of partnering with a specialised third-party eCall provider is the significant reduction in false alarms. Many incidents can be resolved through immediate tele-assistance, by guiding the driver to manage the situation, or even by converting the eCall to a bCall, another advantage of a turn-key third party connected assistance service.
This approach conserves critical emergency resources whilst offering a system that reduces false alarms is an attractive proposition for OEMs and highlights their commitment to safety.
Controlling the recovery and repair journey
An often-overlooked benefit of third-party eCall services is having the ability to ensure best practices in vehicle repair are not just recommended, but followed. OEMs possess deep expertise in their own vehicles’ engineering and maintenance requirements. By managing the eCall process, they can guide recovery efforts to ensure that vehicles are taken to approved service centres that adhere to the highest standards
This oversight ensures repairs are conducted correctly, using original OEM parts and by trained technicians, maintaining the integrity and performance of the vehicle as intended by the manufacturer.
Building Stronger OEM-Customer relationships
By integrating third-party eCall services, OEMs deliver more than just vehicles; they provide comprehensive solutions that address the mobility and safety needs of their customers.
This approach positions an OEM as a brand of choice for their customers. Going beyond the vehicle sale to deliver a comprehensive mobility experience and ensuring safety, security and convenience.
In a competitive market where every detail matters, offering advanced, reliable, cross border E-call with multi-lingual support can differentiate an OEM and foster
brand loyalty and customer trust.