Retrofitting eCall: Overview of costs and options
eCall is an emergency call system that has been installed in new cars since April 2018. In this practical tip, we present the possibilities and costs for retrofitting the system.
Retrofitting eCall: these are your costs and options
The eCall system evaluates various vehicle data and can independently recognize when an accident has occurred. For example, this works via the airbag sensors.
- The system can then make an emergency call and deliver important data to the rescue control center. This includes the exact position of the vehicle, the number of occupants, the approximate severity of the accident and much more.
- A voice connection is also established between the rescue control center and the hands-free system in the vehicle. If people are still conscious in the vehicle, they can communicate directly with the control center.
- The mobile network is used for transmission. That also works in other European countries.
- If eCall is not yet installed in your vehicle, retrofitting is usually not possible or at least very expensive. A cheap and popular alternative, however, are so-called emergency plugs.
A sensible alternative: adding an emergency call plug
Numerous insurance companies in Germany offer a so-called accident reporting plug (EMS). There is usually a cover letter from the insurance company.
- All you have to do is plug the plug into a 12-volt connection in your car and pair it with a special app on your smartphone.
- The accident reporting connector is equipped with acceleration sensors that can reliably detect serious accidents. If this is the case, a message is sent to the smartphone via Bluetooth, from which the emergency center of the respective insurance company is contacted.
- An automatic telephone connection to the emergency center is also established here. If the employee realizes that the occupants are unresponsive or that the data indicate a serious accident, they can contact the official rescue center themselves.
- The price of the plug differs depending on the insurance and is usually between 10 and 20 euros. Simply find out from your car insurance which offers are available.
In the next article we will show how you can trigger an emergency call on your iPhone using the power button.