The eCall system of millions of cars will become useless due to the change that Europe is starting in 2026
The emergency call system eCall of millions of cars will become useless due to the change that Europe will begin to implement in 2026. The European Union forced car manufacturers to incorporate a technology that is now rendered useless by a political decision.
The change that Europe has decided to promote will bring a lot of controversy. Millions of cars are in the spotlight. The technology that the European Union itself mandated manufacturers to incorporate into their vehicles will soon become useless due to a political decision. The emergency call system eCall is under scrutiny. A technology that, as it has been incorporated into all new cars arriving at our dealerships, has its days numbered.
More than a year ago, we already warned that a serious problem was looming. Time has passed, and now we are on the brink of a change whose deployment shows no signs of being stopped. It is fundamentally about the arrival of the next-generation eCall system. This "generational change," as we have pointed out, opens the door for millions of cars circulating on European roads to become 'out of play'.
The new emergency call system eCall arrives in 2026
It will be from 2026 when the deployment of the new eCall system will begin. New vehicles sold in the EU must be equipped with a revised emergency call system. The so-called "NG eCall." A new technology that will replace the current one which, let us remember, is based on the old 2G and 3G mobile networks.
The eCall system has been mandatory in all new cars and vans since March 2018. Now the EU wants to adapt the system to the technological advances that have occurred in recent years and ensure its long-term operation. While the current system uses the aforementioned 2G and 3G networks to automatically dial the emergency number (112) in case of an accident, the new system will operate with 4G and 5G networks respectively.
The new technology will be deployed in two phases. Starting January 1, 2026, all newly developed passenger cars and vans (N1) must be equipped with the new eCall system. Vehicles that do not have the next-generation system will not be able to be homologated in the EU. And from 2027, all new vehicles sold must have this technology.
The end of 2G networks threatens the eCall system
The problem lies precisely in all the millions of cars circulating in Europe with the current eCall system. Manufacturers will not be obliged to "upgrade them" to the new technology, but the user will be affected. Problems are expected in just a few years. With the end of 2G networks, the old eCall system will stop functioning properly. In neighboring Germany, it has been confirmed that 2G networks will cease to be operational in 2028. And although some systems and applications will continue for a few more years, it will be in 2030 when the death of that mobile network is certified.
Vehicles already registered and equipped with a technology that Europe made mandatory years ago will not be able to use it. Especially those cars whose eCall system has a direct line to 112, as we must remember that some manufacturers are operating with their own lines.
