EU: New interoperability specifications for eCall systems
The EU has published a new draft legal act on the EU-wide interoperability specifications for automatic emergency 112 eCall by onboard vehicle systems. It revises the current Delegated Regulation (EU) No 305/2013.
The 112 eCall automatically dials Europe’s single 112 emergency number in the event of a serious road accident and communicates the vehicle’s location and other relevant data to the emergency services. The purpose of the revision of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 305/2013 is to adapt the specifications of emergency call centres receiving and handling eCalls to 4G/5G telecommunications networks.
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 305/2013 establishes the specifications for the enhancement of the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) infrastructure necessary for the effective reception and handling of eCalls. The goal is to ensure compatibility, interoperability, and continuity of the harmonized EU-wide eCall service. The Commission’s Communication on a Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy recognizes the need to adjust the eCall legal framework to accommodate new electronic communications technologies.
Since the enactment of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 305/2013, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has updated standard EN 15722 ‘Intelligent transport systems — eSafety — eCall minimum set of data (MSD)’ and standard EN 16072 ‘Intelligent transport systems — eSafety — Pan-European eCall operating requirements.’ Specifically, standard EN 15722:2020 mandates the provision of the two most recent vehicle locations before an incident, crucial for PSAPs to furnish accurate information to emergency services. This data is vital for reducing response times, particularly on motorways or bridges. Therefore, the reference to these standards should be revised.
European standards EN 16062 ‘Intelligent transport systems — eSafety — eCall high-level application requirements (HLAR)’ and EN 6454 ‘Intelligent transport systems — eSafety — Ecall end-to-end conformance testing’ are designed for eCall operation over circuit-switched cellular networks (2G/3G). Considering the planned phasing out of 2G/3G networks by mobile operators between 2025 and 2030 in all Member States, there is a need to adapt PSAPs to the latest packet-switched communication networks while still supporting circuit-switched networks until their discontinuation.
Two new eCall-related technical specifications, based on packet-switched networks, have recently been adopted by CEN following the procedures outlined in Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council. These technical specifications should be incorporated into the PSAP requirements to facilitate the reception and handling of eCalls. Consequently, Delegated Regulation (EU) No 305/2013 should be amended accordingly.
The full text of the notification is available HERE.
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