Automatic emergency call systems are considered a significant innovation in emergency services: they detect accidents, falls or critical situations and automatically alert the emergency call centre via 112. However, this development does not only have advantages.

In practice, technical triggers often lead to mass false alarms – for example in Bavaria, where control centre operators report false alarm rates of over 90% ¹. Technology saves lives – but at the same time it ties up valuable resources. A look at developments across Germany, organisational adjustments and international experience shows that there is an urgent need for action.

False alarms as a mass phenomenon

The integrated control centres in Bavaria report several automatic alarms per day – often without an actual emergency. In Augsburg, for example, around 350 eCall reports were received last year; over 75% of these turned out to be false alarms¹². Smartphones and smartwatches contribute significantly to the high rate: movement errors, accidental triggers or technical malfunctions sometimes unintentionally trigger emergency calls. The result is a flood of alarms that must be checked manually each time – placing a considerable burden on control centres.

Burden on personnel and systems

Every incoming emergency call is initially treated as a real emergency. Dispatchers have to make return calls, check location information and assess the situation – even if there is no response. This process takes time and attention that may be lacking in critical situations. The psychological strain on employees should not be underestimated: every call could be a life-threatening case – even if it turns out to be a mistake.

Technical weaknesses and opportunities for improvement

Many false alarms can be traced back to technical causes. Fall and crash detection systems sometimes respond to harmless vibrations. Feedback options for users are often inadequate, meaning that false alarms are only detected at a late stage. Technically sophisticated location transmission systems such as Advanced Mobile Location (AML) have not yet been implemented everywhere. Experts are calling for binding technical standards – for example, on sensitivity, data security and callback integration. While eCall data is already automatically fed into control centre systems, the processing of SOS calls from wearables often remains purely voice-based and less efficient.

Organisational consequences for control centres

The increasing number of automatic emergency calls is forcing control centres to adapt their work processes. Training for dispatchers, internal checklists for classifying false alarms and prioritisation methods are needed. Communication with the public must also be improved: users should be informed about how such systems work, how false alarms can be avoided and how they should react in an emergency.

Life savers despite false alarms

Despite the challenges, documented incidents prove that automatic emergency calls have already saved lives – for example, in cases involving unconscious persons with no witnesses or single-vehicle accidents with no witnesses. eCall systems in particular are proving their effectiveness by sending reliable data and directing emergency services directly to the scene. Such success stories demonstrate the value of the technology – and justify its further expansion.

Legal framework and European perspective

Since 31 March 2018, eCall has been mandatory in all newly registered passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in the EU to enable rapid assistance in the event of accidents³⁴. The regulation also ensures data protection: transmitted data may only be used in emergencies, and continuous tracking is not possible⁵. Other European countries, such as Austria and the Netherlands, already have standardised data connections for emergency calls, which improves efficiency. Such approaches could serve as a model for Europe-wide harmonisation.

Outlook

Automatic emergency calls are a valuable innovation – they are changing the rescue system for good. However, their current implementation is still immature. Technical improvements, clear standards and close cooperation between manufacturers, network operators and rescue organisations are needed to relieve the burden on control centres and expand the systems for reliable assistance. Control centres are facing organisational change: clear processes, suitably trained staff and transparent communication are crucial to ensure that automatic emergency calls contribute to greater safety rather than additional stress.

Literature and sources

1. ‘Automatic emergency calls keep control centres on their toes’, heise.de – information page, accessed via dpa (more than 90% false alarms in Bavaria). URL: https://www.heise.de/news/Automatisierte-Notrufe-halten-Leitstellen-auf-Trab-10560034.html ↩ ↩²
2. Antenne Bayern, ‘E-Call systems: More false alarms in Bavaria’, reported an increase in false alarms in control centres. URL: https://www.antenne.de/nachrichten/bayern/zunahme-von-fehlalarmen-durch-e-call-systeme-in-bayern ↩
3. Consumer Advice Centre NRW, eCall: How the automatic emergency call system in cars works, published on 13 June 2022. URL: https://www.verbraucherzentrale.nrw/wissen/reise-mobilitaet/unterwegs-sein/ecall-so-funktioniert-das-automatische-notrufsystem-im-auto-32100 ↩
4. Wikipedia, article ‘ECall’, last accessed at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECall ↩
5. EUR-Lex, Consolidated text of Regulation (EU) 2015/758, binding from 31 March 2018. URL: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX%3A02015R0758-20180331 ↩