Support for EU car safety plan offers opportunities
eCall regulation will not only save lives but revive channel fortunes, says Macario Namie
Namie: The UK should get behind the EU eCall initiative
The European Commission has called on governments, telecoms and the automotive industry to do more to put eCall on the road. Viviane Reding, the EU commissioner, is well known for pushing reform in the communications space through legislation and now she has turned her attention to eCall.
That means that this in-car safety system is finally around the corner. This initiative has been a work in progress for several years and aims to bring rapid assistance to motorists involved in an accident.
Using GSM and UMTS, the system automatically contacts the emergency services, telling them the car’s location and connecting voice services with accident victims.
Reding says she wants to see this wireless in-car safety system on European roads by next year or she will push the change through using legislation.
Telecoms industry body the GSM Association (GSMA) responded promptly to the Commission’s call by formally backing Europe's in-car emergency call system, adding to the 24-country governments that support this life-saving initiative.
However, six other countries are not backing it due to cost concerns – including the UK.
Rolling out eCall requires close cooperation between public authorities, car companies and mobile phone operators and is expected to save up to 2,500 lives each year in the EU. It is expected to reduce the severity of injuries by 10 to 15 per cent.
By delaying this initiative the UK is not only disregarding its social responsibility, but also missing an important opportunity to generate business for the industry.
Support for eCall will create a new eco-system, generating great opportunities for the channel. GSMA support for the initiative is no surprise. We are experiencing growing demand for machine-to-machine (M2M) services, with tier 1 operators worldwide recently announcing investments in this fast-growing market – including AT&T, KPN, Vodafone and Orange.
Now is the time for the other players in this eco-system to follow suit. Wirelessly connecting vehicles will open the doors for a range of additional services, from navigation and information on local facilities to breakdown coverage.
Reding’s push for regulation will hopefully lead to innovation in the M2M space, opening up new revenue sources for the channel.
Merely focusing on containing costs for the automotive industry is short-sighted. The UK government is failing to recognise the opportunity this represents for the country’s economy.
Doing the right thing here not only helps the EU save precious lives, but will generate a much needed economic stimulus.
Similar initiatives are taking place around the globe. A good example is Brazil, where the national department of transport is fighting vehicle theft by introducing a regulation requiring all new cars to come out of the factory with an embedded tracking system from February 2010.
Since most car manufacturers in Brazil are subsidiaries of European companies, such as Volkswagen and Fiat, the technology is expected to be similar to that in the EU, making it easier for suppliers to operate across borders.
Yet countries must agree common standards and guidelines for the harmonised deployment of the system and perform field tests before putting it into practice.
Pilot studies have been launched in some EU countries, including Finland, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands.
By refusing to enter the game, the UK is compromising its chances of defining the industry standards and monetising on this opportunity.
Following the GSMA’s example, it is time for other players in this eco-system to support the UK government in making the right choice – for both car accident victims and the industry.
Macario Namie is senior director of product marketing at Jasper Wireless