What is eCall?

eCall (or emergency call) is a legally mandated system for all new cars in Europe and the UK from 2018 onwards. It's a safety system that gives every car a built-in SIM card so it can contact emergency services in the event of an accident. eCall will activate automatically if the car detects you've had a crash. Not only will it phone local first responders wherever you happen to be, allowing you to speak to them if you're able to, it can also send vital crash data to them before they arrive, including which airbags have been activated. You can manually activate the eCall feature by pressing the 'SOS' button in your car – usually found by the rear-view mirror and reading lights.