"Standards" in the context of NG-eCall certification carries two meanings. One refers to EU regulations, the mandatory legal documents that govern whether you can obtain and keep a certificate. The other refers to technical specifications, the standards that define how to test, what to measure, and what the pass criteria are. You need to understand both layers together to grasp the full scope of NG-eCall certification requirements.
(EU) 2024/1180 is the parent law for NG-eCall certification. It replaced the older (EU) 2015/758. The parent law is not a technical specification. It defines the mandatory implementation timeline, scope of application, certificate management rules, and the relationship between NG-eCall and other whole-vehicle certification items.
The most important part of the parent law is the implementation timeline. January 1, 2025 opens NG-eCall certification applications. January 1, 2026 rejects new type approval applications based on pure 2G/3G CS-eCall. January 1, 2027 invalidates all legacy CS-eCall certificates. January 1, 2028 expires all transition period NG-eCall certificates. These four dates define the certification planning rhythm for automakers and component manufacturers.
The parent law also defines the relationship between NG-eCall and other vehicle certification items. NG-eCall is a component of whole-vehicle type approval. A standalone NG-eCall certificate does not make a vehicle compliant on its own. However, core NG-eCall components, namely the communication module and T-Box, can receive independent component certificates. The OEM then uses these component certificates to waive certain tests during whole-vehicle certification.
The 2025 Amendment: (EU) 2025/1871
(EU) 2025/1871 was released in late 2025. It supplements details not specified in (EU) 2024/1180. The amendment does not replace the parent law. It adds new requirements on top of the existing framework.
Three core additions stand out.
First, the full working condition requirement for shared backup power. The old standard only vaguely stated that backup power should sustain independent operation for a period. The amendment specifies 5 minutes of call time plus 56 minutes of standby plus another 5 minutes of call time, totaling 66 minutes of endurance.
Second, upgraded GDPR privacy review. The amendment requires submitted data protection schemes to include review opinions from a Data Protection Officer. A company's self-written submission is no longer sufficient.
Third, MSD report issuing institution requirements. Reports must come from a CMA-accredited laboratory. Reports from non-accredited institutions are no longer accepted by notified bodies.
The amendment's requirements are mandatory for all certification applications submitted after January 1, 2026. Companies that obtained transition certificates in 2025 need to complete remediation before January 1, 2028, not immediately after receiving the certificate.
Functional Standard: EN 17184:2024
EN 17184:2024 is the functional standard for NG-eCall. It defines what functions the system must implement and what performance indicators apply to each function.
IMS Call Setup Latency
This is the hardest single metric in EN 17184. From crash trigger to call establishment on the PSAP side, the time must not exceed 3 seconds.
The legacy CS-eCall standard did not include this metric because CS-eCall ran over circuit domain, where call setup time was determined by the carrier network and the automaker had no control. NG-eCall runs over IMS VoIP, where end-to-end latency can be optimized by the vehicle system. The standard sets a hard threshold accordingly.
MSD Field Definitions
The MSD (Minimum Set of Data) is the compact dataset automatically transmitted after a crash. It includes vehicle location, crash severity, vehicle identification, and powertrain type.
NG-eCall uses MSD V3, which adds vehicle orientation, crash direction, airbag status, and high-voltage battery state compared to the old version. These new fields are not optional. They are mandatory for both collection and transmission.
Backup Power Management
The backup power must automatically engage after vehicle power loss, sustain the full two-round call plus standby cycle, and prioritize emergency call functionality when battery is low. The system cannot allow the backup power to fail simply because the user forgot to charge it.
Test Method Standard: EN 17240:2024
EN 17240:2024 defines how to test. The same function tested with different methods can produce different results, so the test method standard must be used alongside the functional standard.
Indoor Bench and Road Testing
EN 17240 divides testing into indoor bench testing and road testing. Bench testing verifies functionality under ideal laboratory conditions. Road testing verifies functionality under real network conditions. Both must pass. Passing bench but failing road, or vice versa, does not count as certification.
Call Setup Latency Test Method
Call setup latency is not a single-shot measurement. It must be tested under different network conditions, with different PSAPs, and at different module temperatures. Sample size requirements apply. Testing one sample vehicle or one sample module is not sufficient.
Backup Power 66-Minute Cycle Test
This is not a simple drain test. The method simulates real usage scenarios. Between the first call round, standby period, and second call round, the system must remain in a state capable of receiving calls. It cannot shut down the receiving channel to save power.
CEN Technical Clarification Reports
CEN, the European Committee for Standardization, publishes technical clarification reports to address implementation issues discovered after EN standards are published. These reports are not part of the formal standard text, but they carry practical influence because laboratories and notified bodies follow the interpretations in these reports.
In 2025, CEN released a technical clarification for EN 17184:2024 addressing several contested points.
Dual-mode fallback test scenarios: When is fallback permitted, when is it not, and what defines "PSAP does not support VoIP." The clarification report provides specific criteria.
MSD V3 video field transmission: The report explicitly states that video transmission is not mandatory. Voluntary video upload pilot programs in certain member states cannot be used as mandatory test items.
Technical clarification reports are dynamically updated, with new versions released almost annually. Companies pursuing certification must track the latest version. Designing products based on outdated interpretations is a recipe for test failure.
Standards Continue to Evolve
The NG-eCall standards framework is not set in stone. EN 17184 and EN 17240 went through multiple draft versions before the 2024 formal release, each with differences. After the formal release, CEN continues collecting industry feedback and updating standard interpretations through technical clarification reports.
Companies must track standards developments actively. A certificate is not a one-time achievement. After standards update, existing certified products are generally not required to retest immediately, but new certification applications must be reviewed under the updated standard. If a standards update involves major technical changes, certified products may also need supplementary testing.
For companies operating in both the EU and Chinese markets, the standards landscape is even more complex. NG-eCall follows EN 17184:2024 and EN 17240:2024. China's AECS follows GB 45672-2025, which mandates BeiDou-first positioning. The two standards share some conceptual overlap but differ in technical implementation, data privacy frameworks, and testing protocols. Cross-referencing is possible, but test sharing is limited.
Putting It All Together
The NG-eCall standards system consists of four layers: the parent regulation, the amendment, the functional standard, and the test method standard. Digesting all four layers is the only way to accurately estimate certification timeline and budget.
Companies that focus only on the functional standard and ignore the amendment or clarification reports will encounter surprises during testing. Companies that read the regulation but skip the test method standard will misjudge how long testing takes. The four layers work together, and any gap in understanding creates risk.
Our recommendation: assign a dedicated standards tracking responsibility within your certification team. Monitor CEN clarification reports, EU Official Journal publications, and notified body communications. The cost of one person spending a few hours per month on standards tracking is negligible compared to the cost of failing a test because your interpretation was six months out of date.
BlueAsia Testing is a Huawei HiCar authorized certification organization, recognized with the "Excellent Certification Organization" award in 2025. We help automakers and component manufacturers navigate the NG-eCall standards framework and prepare for certification under the latest requirements.
For NG-eCall standards consultation, contact BlueAsia Testing: 13632500972 (Benson)
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