SOS Button In The Roof Of The Car? The ECall Function!

All models newly registered from mid-2018 must have an SOS button or the eCall function. But what exactly is eCall? In a collision severe enough to deploy the airbags, the vehicle must also automatic emergency call trigger. A voice connection to the emergency services (police/fire brigade) is then automatically established and the location data is transmitted to the operations center. You can do this with the SOS button Trigger an emergency call manually.

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eCall Notruf transmits important accident data directly to the control center

The so-called eCall function can save lives in an emergency: If a driver is unconscious, the vehicle itself triggers an emergency call. If the operations center can no longer speak to the driver via the hands-free system (which is also always included in vehicles with eCall), emergency services can be dispatched to the scene of the accident in a matter of seconds. It works with its own SIM card and its own power supply. If an automatic emergency call is made by eCall, the following data is transmitted to the operations center:

time of impact
Number of straps applied
fuel type
GPS position & driving direction
was triggered automatically or manually?

Trigger an emergency call as an accident witness yourself using the SOS button

This emergency call can of course be made using the SOS button can also be triggered manually, if you have had an accident or have observed an accident and, for example, are a first aider. Then you can find out about this type of emergency call much easier to locate than trying to describe to the police where you are on the freeway.

SOS button and roadside assistance (centre) in the VW Golf

Key with the wrench: Assistance / roadside assistance

Often there is an additional one key with a wrench. This connects the driver with the assistance of the manufacturer, i.e. with the roadside assistance and not directly with the rescue coordination center. Of course, the SOS button should only be pressed in an emergency. In the event of a flat tire, roadside assistance is sufficient.