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eCall cuts emergency services response time by 50 percent in the countryside and 60 percent in built-up areas. In case of a crash, an eCall-equipped car automatically calls the nearest emergency center.

The idea is to save hundreds of lives through much quicker response times.

Digital security service provider, Gemalto (News - Alert), announced its collaboration with Yokosuka Telecom Research Park Inc., FUJITSU TEN, a developer of advanced safety systems, and ERTICO, Europe's Intelligent Transportation System organization, to launch Japan's first eCall testing facility, which will allow global automakers meet the European Union's (EU) new emergency response standards.

According to the company, this is set to be the first eCall facility outside Europe, allowing Japanese automakers to locally test solutions destined for the European Union.

Designed to reduce emergency response time, the 112 eCall service is a pan-European, interoperable M2M system that allows vehicles and passengers to automatically call for help in the event of a road incident.

"By enabling local testing of eCall technology, Gemalto and its partners are streamlining manufacturing and helping global automakers achieve significant time and cost efficiencies," Marcel Visser, vice president, Automotive at Gemalto, said in a statement.

"Gemalto's leading-edge modules and MIMs are ISO/TS 16949 certified to help car manufacturers meet strict industry requirements for quality and traceability throughout the life of a vehicle. We are proud of our contribution to road safety, and to people's daily life using digital security," Visser added.

As per the terms of this agreement, Gemalto will provide its Cinterion (News - Alert) Machine-to-Machine automotive modules and Machine Identification Modules technologies to enable communications and GPS positioning for all trial scenarios.

The FUJITSU TEN and YRP test bed features special in-vehicle system units that leverage eCall-compliant Gemalto technology, already proven successful in Europe and compliant with European test cases.

As air bags or other in-vehicle sensors are triggered, according to a recent company statement, a Gemalto automotive-grade MIM instantly establishes a secure network connection and a Cinterion automotive M2M module initiates a standardized "112" voice call with the nearest emergency call center.

The system automatically sends key situation data, including exact incident location, time stamp, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and more, to emergency operators who dispatch appropriate services in real time.

The solution can be activated manually by passengers when needed, and trials are very much facilitated by this testing center, Japan's only exclusive eCall 2G cellular network, which simulates European wireless networks.

An ERTICO Partner, Gemalto has been instrumental in supporting the YRP test center and enabling the pre-deployment of European Union '112' eCall solutions across Europe.

"Gemalto's expertise and advanced technology is helping the entire automotive supply chain meet the requirement to equip all new EU passenger cars and light commercial vehicles with eCall capability by 2015," clarified Hermann Meyer, chief executive officer at ERTICO - ITS Europe.

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