Every second counts in a road traffic emergency. Reducing the time it takes for medical services, firefighters and rescuers to arrive on the scene can save lives and limit the severity of the consequences of road accidents for survivors. Every year 1.25 million people die in road traffic accidents while an additional 50 million are injured.
A new United Nations Regulation harmonizing in-vehicle systems to automatically call the emergency services in the event of a crash will support improved responsiveness and the provision of appropriate emergency treatment – one of five pillars of the global Decade of Action on road safety.
The system informs emergency services of the vehicle’s precise location, along with information on time of accident and direction of travel, regardless of whether the driver is conscious or able to make a phone call. The system may also be activated manually in the case of emergency needs, such as if the diver witnesses a serious accident.
The UN Regulation on Accident Emergency Call Systems (AECS), adopted by the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29), comes as the first United Nations Regulation dealing with vehicle connectivity. It stands as an example of effective international and multistakeholder cooperation to harness the potential of new technologies to help improve road safety.
The Regulation will improve compatibility (or “interoperability”) between existing emergency call systems, enabling the scaling-up of the technology so that more countries will be able to benefit from reduced emergency response times for road traffic accidents.
AECS aligns the “ERA-GLONASS” emergency call system in use in the Russian Federation with the European Union’s “eCall”, which is set to become compulsory for all new cars sold in the EU from April 2018.
According to EU estimates, eCall can reduce emergency response times by 40% in urban areas and 50% in the countryside, and can reduce the number of fatalities by at least 4% and the number of severe injuries by 6%.
The adoption of the new regulation – which is expected to enter into force in June 2018 – will make these benefits available to even more countries wishing to apply the regulation under the 1958 Agreement, supporting global efforts to improve road safety.
Note to editors
About the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations
The World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) is a Working Party within UNECE. It manages three Global Agreements on vehicles: 1958 Agreement (UN Regulations); 1998 Agreement (UN Global Technical Regulations); and 1997 Agreement (UN Rules on Periodic Technical Inspections). Any country that is member of the United Nations may participate in the activities of the World Forum and accede to the Agreements.
About the 1958 Agreement
The 1958 Agreement establishes an international legal framework of technical Regulations and recommendations for wheeled vehicles, their parts and equipment.
The 1958 Agreement enables internationally harmonized specifications for the construction and certification of new vehicles, helping to reduce costs and facilitate access to international markets. As a result, consumers benefit from a wider choice of efficient, safe and environmentally friendly vehicles.
About the UN Regulation on Accident Emergency Call Systems (AECS)
The full text of the Regulation can be accessed at: http://www.unece.org/DAM/trans/doc/2017/wp29/ECE-TRANS-WP29-2017-132e.pdf
AECS, which requires the integration of a SIM card within the vehicle, does not cover telecommunication functionality. Data format and data protection is not covered by the scope of the new UN Regulation and must be supplemented by national/regional legislation.