This week will see real-world testing on Deutsche Telekom’s network for automatic emergency call systems for vehicles.

From 10 to 13 June, the ecall plugtests will take place in Bonn ready for the European emergency call system moving to 4G and 5G networks instead of 2G and 3G.

Automotive manufacturers, emergency call centre equipment suppliers and system component suppliers will test their technologies together.

In the event of an accident, vehicles automatically send an emergency call or ecall via mobile networks. The event, organised by Etsi (www.etsi.org), will verify the interoperability of the various components that form part of the European emergency communication system.

The current tests are intended to ensure the interoperability between in-vehicle systems and the emergency call centres so the emergency call service will also work over modern mobile networks with 4G LTE today and 5G in the future. At the event, automotive OEMs as well as suppliers of the in-vehicle systems and suppliers of emergency call centre equipment will first validate the implementations in the 4G LTE network.

Deutsche Telekom (www.telekom.com) is hosting the event (www.etsi.org/events/2482-ng-ecall-plugtests-2025) and making its mobile network available for the tests. The network has been ready for next-generation call (NG ecall) since December 2023. Since then, suppliers of on-board electronics, automotive OEMs and equipment suppliers for emergency call centres have been using the network for their own tests. Now they are jointly validating the interoperability of their systems in Deutsche Telekom’s live network.

The event is attracting interest from vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers internationally, as the technical foundations for the previous ecall systems are gradually being switched off in more and more countries. In addition to the various automotive ecosystem players taking part in the tests, the other German mobile network operators are invited to participate. This should make it possible to extend the tests to components in the other mobile networks.

Since 2018, an ecall system has been mandatory for all new vehicle models. The automatic emergency call system prescribed by the European Union is now technically outdated. With NG ecall, it is getting a future-proof update. 

NG ecall transmits the data via LTE in the first step and establishes a voice connection to the vehicle via the commercial 4G network. LTE is widespread in Europe and offers a large network coverage. In the future, the system will also use 5G networks, whose coverage is growing rapidly throughout Europe.

From January 2026, all cars that are to be launched on the market in Europe must be equipped with the new ecall devices. This is the only way they can obtain the necessary permit. One year later, this also applies to vehicles that already have the so-called type approval. All cars that roll off the production line from 2027 onwards must use NG ecall.

The introduction of NG ecall offers a number of improvements. The call to the vehicle occupants is established much faster. The previous restrictions on the transmission of data will also be removed.

While the previous system can only transmit minimal amounts of data via 2G, high-performance connections will be possible in the future. Overall, NG ecall offers potential for further improvements.

If, for example, the occupants’ smartphones are integrated into the emergency call transmission, rescue workers can contact those affected directly at any time, even if the passengers have left the vehicle after an accident.

Another option is the transmission of live images from the vehicle or the possibility of transmitting the health data of the occupants with their consent. These additions would allow emergency call centres to assess the situation more precisely, allowing emergency services to provide assistance faster and more effectively.

Until April 2024, vehicle manufacturers were still obliged to install the technically obsolete 2G technology (GSM) or 3G (UMTS), some of which have already been switched off in many countries. The background to the requirement was the particularly good network coverage compared with 4G LTE at the time. However, due to the rapid expansion of new mobile networks, the updating of the requirements is necessary. In this way, the advantages of modern technology can help accident victims more quickly and effectively in emergency situations.

The technology has been available throughout Deutsche Telekom’s network since the end of 2023. If necessary, it will be activated regionally for testing. In the test regions, the network then transmits the NG ecall broadcast indicator. It informs the vehicle’s on-board electronics about the capabilities of the network. This is how the vehicle knows the NG ecall is ready.

In the event of an accident, the activation of the on-board electronics automatically generates an NG ecall with IMS-based emergency call signalling. In addition to basic data such as the accident location coordinates, multimedia data can also be transmitted via the mobile network.