April 11, 2025
The mandatory introduction of the eCall system for European road vehicles in April 2018 significantly improved road safety, but the phase-out of 2/3G networks means that automotive OEMs will need a new type of eCall module. New EU regulations supporting emergency calling on 4G and 5G networks are being introduced and will be mandatory from 2026.
Following a crash, an eCall is triggered when airbags are deployed or when a driver presses the SOS button, initiating a direct connection to 112. By automatically transmitting the precise location and direction of travel, emergency services can attend sooner, potentially saving thousands of lives and reducing the impact of accidents on traffic congestion.
The EU estimates that following a severe accident, these automated connections to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) can reduce emergency services response times in rural areas by 50% and 40% in urban areas. The European Emergency Number Association (EENA) estimates that in 2021, there 421,000 eCalls across Europe.
Network switch-off in progress
The impending phase-out of 2G/3G networks presents a significant challenge to eCall. These legacy circuit-switched networks were initially specified as the basis for EU regulation because of their ubiquitous coverage compared to 4G at the time.
Since the introduction of eCall in 2018, dozens of operators throughout Europe have announced a timetable for switching off their 2G/3G networks in favour of the more spectrum-efficient 4G LTE and 5G (“New Radio” or NR) networks. According to GSMA Intelligence, globally 131 networks are planned to be shut down by 2030, with Europe leading the way.
This switch-off will result in millions of existing vehicles incapable of making automatic emergency calls, significantly impacting road safety and the effectiveness of the emergency response. Consequently, the EU has been updating eCall regulations to be compatible with packet-switched 4G LTE and 5G networks.
NG-eCall offers a faster transfer of a minimum set of data (MSD). This includes the precise vehicle location and direction, status of the airbag, and crash severity. On top of this, NG-eCall supports HD voice quality, which will enhance voice clarity during emergencies. And because it runs over IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), NG-eCall incorporates better security (through encrypted SIP sessions) and enhanced interoperability between networks. While not currently mandated, future amendments to NG-eCall could include support for video streaming from dashcams or sharing health data from wearables.
The amended regulations were finalized in 2024. The automotive industry and PSAPs have until January 2026 to support NG-eCall. By 2027, manufacturers will be unable to sell vehicles that are incompatible with NG-eCall.
Test, test, and test again
According to EENA, interoperability tests across EU networks and PSAP infrastructure are crucial for ensuring NG-eCall reliability. Variations in how voice over LTE (VoLTE) and voice over 5G (VoNR) are implemented across Europe’s mobile networks, combined with the need to ensure compatibility with PSAPs, add multiple layers of complexity.
Furthermore, automotive OEMs face challenges integrating NG-eCall modules with existing equipment that feeds into the telematics control unit (TCU), such as crash sensors, accelerometers, GPS, microphones, cameras and antennas. Extensive testing and validation will ensure no signal interference, power management, and software compatibility issues.
For vehicles currently using legacy eCall systems, automotive OEMs must choose between retrofitting TCUs or developing software-based solutions for maintaining emergency call functionality. Considering these complexities, early and extensive testing is essential.
In partnership with our chipset suppliers, Wireless Mobility is in the advanced stages of testing that our 4G & 5G modules are NG-eCall compliant. And testing specialist Rohde & Schwarz uses Wireless Mobility modules in its testing with OEMs and TCU developers.
We encourage OEMs and TCU developers to initiate comprehensive laboratory testing, conduct extensive field trials across multiple mobile networks, and undertake interoperability testing with various PSAPs throughout the EU.
Wireless Mobility is a preferred partner for European automotive OEMs and Tier 1 system suppliers. As a leading developer of IoT modules for 4G and 5G networks, Wireless Mobility is at the forefront in ensuring the automotive industry will be ready for the NG-eCall deadline, and helping to improve safety on Europe’s roads.
