The European Commission has announced plans to make automated emergency call systems for road accidents mandatory in cars from 2015. The commission estimates the move could save up to 2,500 lives a year.

The "eCall" system automatically dials 112, Europe's single emergency number, in the event of a serious accident. It communicates the vehicle's location to emergency services, even if the driver is unconscious or unable to make a phone call.

This draft legislation will ensure that from October 2015, all new models of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles will be fitted with 112 eCall and the necessary infrastructure would be created for the proper receipt and handling of eCalls in emergency call response centres.

The data received through the eCall system will allow emergency services to provide assistance to vehicle drivers and passengers more quickly, thus helping to save lives and to treat injuries rapidly. Estimates suggest that eCall could speed up emergency response times by 40% in urban areas and 50% in the countryside.

In addition to the road safety benefits, eCall will also have a significant impact on reducing the congestion caused by traffic accidents and on reducing secondary accidents caused by unsecured accident sites. It is also believed that the adoption of eCall technology could offer benefits and opportunites in other areas, such as stolen car tracking.

eCall is activated automatically as soon as in-vehicle sensors detect a serious crash. Once set off, the system dials the European emergency number 112, establishes a telephone link to the appropriate emergency call centre and sends details of the accident to the rescue services, including the time of incident, the accurate position of the crashed vehicle and the direction of travel. An eCall can also be triggered manually by pushing a button in the car, for example by a witness to a serious accident.

Once these proposals are approved by the EU Council and Parliament, the Commission is aiming to have a fully functional eCall service in place throughout the EU by 2015.