Intelematics connects one millionth vehicle to emergency call platform

Melbourne-based Intelematics has announced it has connected its one millionth vehicle to its Australian-built emergency call platform, eCall.

The company says 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 provides 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.

“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,” said Katherine Anderson, Senior Product Manager at Intelematics. “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. Within an 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,” Anderson added.

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.

“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,’ said Rob Finney, General Manager. “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.

Image credit: iStock.com/Yosuke Tanaka