eCall System to be Compulsory from 2018

The EU has recently passed law for all new cars and light commercial vehicles to be fitted with the eCall tracking device from 2018. Despite earlier protest from certain groups with regards to privacy rights, MEPs state the system will not store user data but only trigger in the event of a collision. All other data will not be stored.

How it works:

The system will cost around £80 per unit as a factory install and will use the EU wide 112 emergency call service to automatically send the vehicles global coordinates, speed at point of impact and number of occupants. It is triggered by sensors in the vehicle which work in parallel with airbag deployment systems. Once triggered, a message is immediately sent to the nearest emergency service centre.

EU members have until 2017 to ensure that the infrastructure to support the system is fully in place and operational. 

Are the days of free travel coming to an end? Cameras already track our movements across a significant part of the UK. Will anyone truly believe that our personal travel data will be totally secure once compulsory tracking units are installed in our vehicles? George Orwell had it right!!