In January six new European countries joined the project to develop the in-vehicle eCall service.

In January six new European countries joined the pan-European project HeERO to develop eCall, the in-vehicle service that could save several hundred lives in Europe every year.

Ground-breaking vehicle safety system eCall took another step forward on 14 January with the launch in Spain of the second phase of HeERO (Harmonized eCall European Pilot). HeERO is an international project, supported by the European Union, that aims to help EU Member States in preparing pilot sites for the deployment of eCall in 2015.

eCall is a new road safety service based on the common European Emergency number 112. Using 112, the eCall system automatically calls emergency services if a vehicle is involved in an accident – even if the driver is unconscious or unable to respond. At the emergency call centre, the rescue services will be able to see the location of the accident and obtain information about the kind of vehicle involved, enabling them to send the right rescue response immediately.

HeERO, which started in 2011 and will conclude in 2014, aims to prepare Pilot Sites in many EU Member States for the deployment of the eCall system in 2015.

Since January 2011, the nine European countries forming the HeERO consortium have carried out a three-year programme (HeERO 1) leading to the piloting and deployment of eCall. They are: Croatia, The Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands Romania and Sweden. Six new countries, namely Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey, joined the second phase of the project (HeERO 2) on 1 January, 2013.

The project has generated such a high level of interest that another four Associated Partner countries will participate at their own cost with another five countries hoping to join in the first quarter of 2013.

Project Coordinator Andy Rooke said, “This exciting project will bring this ground-breaking technology to life. The next steps will see the engagement of 19 pilot sites working together to prepare those countries for eCall.”