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White Paper: E-Call

power relays

FCL Components relays as reliable contribution to e-Call solutions

In the early 2000s, the European Union began discussing the implementation of a continent-wide emergency calling system to be implemented within vehicles to bring faster assistance when road traffic incidents occur. This idea eventually became e-Call (an abbreviation of “emergency call”) and was made mandatory for all new cars sold within the EU after the 1st of April, 2018.

E-Call is automatically activated when the vehicle’s sensors have detected a severe crash, at which point the system autonomously dials the European emergency number 112. The system establishes a telephone link with the appropriate emergency call center and delivers an automated message containing the accident’s essential details, including the vehicle identification number, as well as the precise time and location of the incident. Information on whether the vehicle’s airbags have been deployed can also be transmitted. In addition to the automated response, the e-Call communication can also be facilitated by vehicle occupants pushing a button manually.

On a technical level, the e-Call system works by using FTR-B3 and FTR-B4 signal relays to switch from the line that normally connects a vehicle’s microphone/speaker to the in-car audio to a communication line for the emergency call center in the event of an accident.

In enabling faster contact with emergency services, e-Call has the potential to dramatically improve the outcomes of road safety accidents everywhere. Worldwide, nearly 1.25 million people die every year as a result of road traffic accidents, with an additional 20 to 50 million injured or disabled. Research suggests that e-Call could reduce the time it takes for emergency services to reach an accident by up to 40 per cent in urban areas and 50 per cent in rural environments.

At FCL Components, we are proud of the contribution that our signal relays make to the e-Call initiative. If our technology can help the life chances of even a single road traffic accident survivor, its development will surely have been worthwhile.