Birmingham car manufacturer to play key role in new safety technology
A BIRMINGHAM car manufacturer is to play a key role in the development of a new in-car emergency call-out system.
Within 18 months it will be mandatory for in-car emergency call (eCall) systems to be fitted to all new vehicles sold within the European Union.
In the event of an accident, the system will transmit essential data – including type of vehicle, fuel used, time of accident and location – directly to the emergency services.
The European Commission estimates that once eCall technology is implemented across the continent, hundreds of lives could be saved every year.
Despite the UK’s decision to quit the Single Market, British companies want to continue selling their goods to the various countries in the EU and in order to do so they will have to comply with all the current legislation.
MG Motor UK has now confirmed its involvement in the development of the new system as part of an intelligent transport systems working group.
Guillaume Honore, telematics engineer at the SAIC Motor Technical Centre (SMTC), which is based at MG’s Longbridge site, will be taking the lead role.
As one of 60 technicians spread around the globe – of which just seven are based in the UK – Mr Honore will represent MG and the wider British automotive industry within the steering group, exchanging knowledge, best practice and industry experience, as well as consulting on the wider capabilities of in-car emergency technologies.
Alongside managing the preparation of standards in the run-up to eCall’s legislative roll-out across Britain, Mr Honore will help to guide the integration of other state-of-the-art features into eCall capability, as well as work to identify additional benefits offered by cellular network connectivity.
He said: “For MG, being part of the platform will help us to maintain our position as a forward-thinking automotive business, continually looking to identify new technologies and industry-leading capabilities.”
Matthew Cheyne, head of sales and marketing at MG, added: “Introduced to improve safety and reduce emergency response times, eCall technology is a huge progression within the industry. Mandatory fitting will assist emergency services teams at the scene of an accident, helping to save the lives of countless motorists.
“Being involved in the EU steering group, through Guillaume’s expertise, is a significant achievement for MG, and one which will see us play a key role in the ongoing development of in-car technology standards.”
He said Mr Honore had championed similar technology programmes for a number of other high-profile automotive manufacturers; as such his involvement on the working party would be invaluable.
“Bringing this knowledge to MG, while continuing his work as part of the group, is a huge opportunity for us to lead the way in technological capability, demonstrating our ambitions for the future,” he added.
