New cars required to have emergency system from ... - The Associated Press

‘s called eCall system and is a device that automatically sends an alert to the emergency services in the event of a road accident, with the information of the location of the vehicle coordinates. It can also be activated manually. It’s an idea of ??the European Commission with almost a decade, which on Wednesday took another step. The European Parliament (EP) adopted a proposal that supports the system becomes mandatory in all new models of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles from October 2015.

The aim of this technology would work through 112, is immediately alert the emergency services, enabling faster service and reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on European roads.

EP argues that eCall should be a public, free service that can be enjoyed by any driver at any point in Europe. “The eCall based on 112 is a public service of general interest and therefore should be freely available to all consumers,” says the text adopted by 485 votes in favor, 151 against and 32 abstentions, according to a statement from Parliament European.

MEPs are concerned about protecting the privacy of drivers and determined that manufacturers must ensure that vehicles equipped with eCall “are not traceable and are not subject to a constant location” . The “minimum data set” sent by the system includes only the mode of activation, the class of vehicle, type of fuel used, the indication of time, precise location, direction of travel and the number of seat belts fastened.

Parliament agrees that the system becomes mandatory until October 2015, however, recognizes that the industry will need sufficient time to develop and test this system time, assuming therefore that this goal be revised at a later stage.

In 2012, according to the release of the EP, 28,000 people died and 1.5 million were injured. Estimates suggest that the eCall will speed up the response time of emergency services at 40% in urban areas and 50% in rural areas and save up to 2,500 lives a year. The text of this regulation remain to be negotiated with the Council of Ministers of the European Union, it is likely that legislation is only finalized in the next Parliament after the May elections has.

In Portugal, was published this week in the Gazette the creation of a working group, coordinated by the Institute for Mobility and Transport, which shall submit within 90 days a draft ordinance that “define the entities involved and their responsibilities and competencies for the pursuit and implementation of interoperable service called automated emergency “.