So simple, used car becomes a connected car
eCall cuts emergency services response time. It goes down to 50% in the countryside and 60% in built-up areas.
(PRWEB) April 03, 2015
All parents want to make sure their kids are driving responsibly. Parents want to make sure children are not endangering lives. Imagine a teen driving recklessly to impress friends while the parents are at home. Imagine the consequences if an accident happened and the parent had no idea. Or worse still, the emergency services weren't called. Every parent has a right to be concerned. The vast majority of car accidents are caused by inexperienced young drivers. Frequently when accidents do happen, they go unreported for up to 30 minutes. This delay can cause a huge number of tragic deaths, or life threatening injuries, which could otherwise be prevented. Of those car accidents that are reported, many drivers and passengers face lifelong disabilities, or years of painful rehabilitation. Often their lives will never be the same. As a parent, keeping kids safe behind the wheel will undoubtedly be the number one priority.
Everyone remembers his or her first car, typically low budget and secondhand. New cars in Europe will soon be fitted by law with eCall; life saving technology that calls the emergency services as soon as it detects a crash, improving response times and survival chances. This was recently reported by the BBC on the 4th of December 2014 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30337272). Any kid's first car in a decade's time could have this great safety advancement. UK based Auto Early Bird, powered by Golo, has other plans. They are a champion of the used car connected car and are developing a car computer dongle to easily fit to any used car and turn it into a connected car, for less than one might think.
eCall will be complimentary in all new cars, but that doesn't mean getting a connected car for nothing. Car manufacturers charge premiums to get the functions this device offers affordably. Auto Early Bird states they offer the "complete" connected car in the used car market. For over 20 years, they have been reverse engineering car manufacturer software languages, so that the independent aftermarket can keep pace, and as such they can access all car data systems, rather than just a few systems manufacturers are made by competition and safety laws to make accessible. Their background in the automotive aftermarket service industry means customers also get remote real time diagnostic servicing that can access all the car data and allow an engineer to work on the car remotely. Gerry Richards from Auto Early Bird says, "this is expensive from the manufacturers, that offer it. Our device will do it affordably, offering it to customers that are unable to get it from their manufacturers." They are also developing parental controls to use with their device which they say, will make young drivers less likely to need the eCall function. Their device does appear to empower parents and car owners. Their aim is to save lives and improve road safety by technology, a worthy cause. To help young drivers with eCall and road safety awareness, click here to find out more about Auto Early Bird's worthwhile Kickstarter campaign. It doesn't need to be car care month to see Auto Early Bird has a point, but importantly they seem to have an answer as well.
