BMW Motorrad is the first manufacturer to offer this optional accessory as an ex-works option.

Through both automatic and manual activation, the "intelligent emergency call" sends the vehicle's coordinates directly to the call centre, instead of only connecting the driver with the local rescue coordination centre. With the help of this data, the direction of travel can be determined in addition to the accident location so that even hard-to-locate destinations can be reached quickly by the emergency services – an innovation in the motorcycle industry.

After the call centre has been informed, they try to establish contact with the victim. No other information is required from the caller to activate the rescue chain. As unique as BMW: The communication with and support of the victim is carried out by the customer in the language chosen. Therefore, initial important questions can be clarified even before the emergency services arrive.

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The consequences of the collision and the state of the motorcycle are transmitted via sensors on the motorcycle so that accidents can be reliably recognised and differentiated from typical motorcycle driving situations. The driver can recognise whether an emergency call has been triggered through the icon on the electronic instrument cluster and the acoustic signal. A communication system in the helmet is not necessary to establish voice communication with the call centre because a vehicle-fixed speaker and microphone are installed on the right handlebar.

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The "intelligent emergency call" covers the following main scenarios:

Scenario 1: Automatic activation due to serious fall/impact (e.g. head-on collision at high speed)
The emergency call is automatically activated if a serious fall or impact occurs. Voice communication with the driver is established but is not absolutely necessary in this case. If a serious accident has occurred, rescue services are initiated immediately.
Scenario 2: Automatic activation due to minor fall/impact (e.g. skidding front wheel at low speed)
For smaller accidents, the "intelligent emergency call" is activated after a short delay. This gives the driver the chance to cancel the emergency call manually if help or rescue services are not necessary. If the ECALL is not cancelled, voice communication is established to assess the severity of the accident.
Scenario 3: Manual activation in emergency situations
In this case – such as calling for assistance for other casualties – the emergency call is activated by pressing and holding the SOS button on the handlebar and voice communication is established. This voice communication is required to initiate further measures in case of manual activation. The victim also has the chance here to end the emergency call by pressing the SOS button or switching off the engine. The manual activation of the "intelligent emergency call" is only possible when stationary and with the ignition switched on.

To activate the system, the driver does not need to enable a SIM card, nor bear additional costs for the use of the data service. The "intelligent emergency call" is active from the start of the journey and is ready for use at all times, so that it can immediately call for help in case of an accident. This saves valuable time, which could be the difference between life and death in a serious accident. Numerous uses of the ECALL system in cars have shown that the emergency services reach the location of accidents 40 to 50 per cent more quickly with the help of this safety system. Reliable differentiation of non-accidents is possible through the comprehensive and intelligent sensor system to detect crashes. Thanks to the use of roaming, "the intelligent emergency call" always uses the best network possible, no matter where the accident takes place. Then, only information about the time and location of the motorcycle, the vehicle identification number and the personal native language of the user is transmitted. The system does not save any other user data. For example, speed detection or continuous location requests do not occur.
In order to establish the service quality at the required level, Intelligent Emergency Call will be tested extensively shortly before the launch in the particular countries and will be made available step by step.

ECALL is currently available in most southern, western, central- and northern European countries as optional equipment (6AC) and will be orderable in further European countries successively. For further information, please contact your local dealer.

The Intelligent Emergency Call can be used in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Vatican City, and United Kingdom.

Over time, the Intelligent Emergency Call will be extended to other countries.

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