By 
Intelematics, a leading provider of emergency call (eCall) and connected vehicle services across Australia and New Zealand, has today connected its one millionth vehicle.
The achievement caps more than 25 years of Australian innovation and means more vehicles than ever are supported by lifesaving automatic emergency assistance and manual SOS capabilities.
eCall automatically detects a crash and connects the vehicle to emergency responders – transmitting location and incident data even if the driver cannot make a call – reducing the time it takes for assistance to arrive.
Wholly owned by RACV, Intelematics has been keeping drivers safer on the road since 1999. From its Melbourne offices, it powers eCall, bCall, iCall and stolen vehicle tracking services for some of the world’s leading car brands, including Toyota, Hyundai, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Genesis and BYD – backed by an Australia-based call centre staffed by specialist operators who know local roads and conditions.
In 2020, the Toyota Yaris Cross and Lexus IS sedan became the first vehicles to adopt Intelematics’ services. These included eCall, with automatic crash notification, a manual SOS button, and stolen vehicle tracking. More recently, Intelematics partnered with BYD to integrate eCall into the Sealion 8.
Katherine Anderson, Senior Product Manager at Intelematics, said:
“For more than two decades we’ve worked closely with emergency services and the road safety ecosystem to build a platform that responds when it matters most. From Brisbane to Bairnsdale, our technology is helping drivers return home to their loved ones each day.”
Because it is automatic, requiring no manual intervention, eCall can help reduce the response time of emergency services and the information that the car sensors can collect can better equip and assist first responders on scene. On average of seven seconds, the Australian-based Intelematics call centre can be talking to a driver checking on their crash situation and assisting them with help.
“This milestone demonstrates how quickly connected vehicle technology is becoming a reality on Australian roads and the critical role homegrown innovation has to play in delivering technology built to succeed across our unique landscape,” added Anderson.
Intelematics’ journey to its one millionth connected vehicle has been marked by innovation and key partnerships, including the long-standing relationship with Assist Australia.
ANCAP recently included eCall in its five-star safety rating criteria – a shift Intelematics has actively supported. As that framework evolves, the pressure and demand for automotive brands to adopt the technology will grow.
Rob Finney, General Manager at Intelematics, said: “ANCAP’s inclusion of eCall is a watershed moment and one we have been preparing for – investing in the solution, deepening our emergency services relationships, and working with industry stakeholders to shape how this technology is implemented in the Australian and New Zealand context.
“We are well positioned to support this next chapter in Australian road safety and look forward to working with our partners to continuously improve our services and enhance vehicle safety and emergency response.”
eCall, as supported by Intelematics, is unique when compared to other crash/collision response systems due to the fact that it is Australian designed and built working closely with Australian and New Zealand emergency services operators and supported by local emergency service call operators. It also has a live update capability – allowing new, or changing data, to be received during an emergency response.
In 2021, the solution received two awards for Product Design: Technology and Service and Digital Interface at the Australian Good Design Awards and Melbourne Design Awards.
The post One Millionth Vehicle Connects To Australian-built Ecall Platform – A Milestone For Road Safety appeared first on IoT Business News.