Companies pursuing NG-eCall certification want one thing above all: a clear picture of what actually gets tested. After the (EU) 2025/1871 amendment took effect, the 2026 test checklist is not the same as last year. Two new mandatory items were added, and EN 17240 released an A1 supplement in April 2026 that refines the mixed-network dual-mode test criteria. Let us walk through each module, what it tests, how pass/fail is determined, and where projects tend to stumble.
Based on EN 17184:2024, this module accounts for 40% to 50% of the total testing cycle. It is the single biggest workload block.
The IVS (In-Vehicle System) terminal connects to a simulated GNSS signal source, crash trigger signal, and 4G/5G base station emulator to run the full IMS registration and session management flow. Sub-items include SIP signaling compliance, IMS registration authentication, MSD V3 full-field encoding and decoding, VoLTE voice channel establishment, and call state machine transitions. Each sub-item is not a single-shot test. It must be repeated across multiple scenarios: weak signal, network handover, PSAP busy line.
One hard metric: IMS call setup latency must be 3 seconds or less. The old CS-eCall had no such requirement because circuit-domain call setup was controlled by the carrier. NG-eCall runs over IMS VoIP, where end-to-end latency can be optimized by the vehicle system, so the standard sets a hard upper limit.
2026 sits in a dual-track transition period. New applications can choose between CEN/TS 17184:2022 or EN 17184:2024. From January 1, 2027, new applications must use the 2024 version. The critical detail: certificates issued under the CEN/TS transition standard are uniformly classified as transition period certificates, all invalidated on January 1, 2028. Companies holding these certificates must complete supplementary testing against the full EN 17184:2024 standard before that date. Many companies miss this closing obligation in their long-term product planning, only to discover in late 2027 that they need an extra testing cycle and budget they did not account for.
EN 17184 and EN 17240 mandate simulation of the 4G/5G no-coverage fallback to 2G/3G CS domain switching scenario. This is a mandatory test case for both the application layer protocol and end-to-end link modules. If dual-mode fallback fails, the end-to-end link testing cannot proceed.
MSD V3 reserves video transmission fields, but the CEN technical clarification report explicitly states no mandatory onboard camera or real-time video upload requirement. No need to develop additional video hardware for certification.
2. End-to-End Full Link Conformance Testing
Based on EN 17240:2024+A1:2026. The A1 supplement was published in April 2026, adding refined test criteria for mixed-network IMS+CS dual-mode scenarios. From the second half of 2026, all new applications should use the A1 version. Reports based on the old standard version face noticeably lower approval rates.
Three major scenarios are covered:
·Normal call: IVS connects to PSAP via MNO, verifying end-to-end signaling transparency and MSD parsing accuracy.
·Network interruption and recovery: After call interruption, the system must auto-retry. It cannot simply hang up.
·PSAP callback: When MSD is incomplete, PSAP calls back the vehicle. The IVS must correctly handle and re-establish the voice channel.
The transition period for EN 17240 does not fully align with EN 17184. CEN/TS 17240:2018 certificates stop accepting new applications after January 1, 2027, but existing certificates remain valid until December 31, 2027, expiring fully on January 1, 2028. That is one year more grace than EN 17184. Plan each standard's timeline separately.
3. GNSS Positioning Conformance Testing
The core positioning performance criteria are based on ETSI TS 103 543, not ETSI TS 103 683. However, ETSI TS 103 683 V2.1.1 covers HLAP protocol interaction and GNSS positioning auxiliary verification, so it is not entirely irrelevant to positioning. The test plan should include auxiliary positioning interaction test cases.
Cold start first fix must be 60 seconds or less. Hot start must be 10 seconds or less. Acquisition and tracking sensitivity have independent pass criteria. Mature positioning module solutions can take a partial fast-track, but core metrics retesting cannot be skipped.
4. EMC Testing
Based on UN R10. Sub-items include radiated emissions, conducted emissions, radiated immunity, and transient interference. The IVS terminal integrates a 4G/5G RF front-end and GNSS receiver, making radiated emissions the highest-risk item with unpredictable remediation timelines. EMC testing can run in parallel with other modules. The recommendation is to do EMC first, because if it fails last, all previous results sit waiting.
5. Backup Power Endurance Testing
The first new mandatory item added by the (EU) 2025/1871 amendment, enforced for new applications from January 1, 2026. IVS terminals with shared backup batteries must submit an endurance test report: 5 minutes of call time plus 56 minutes of standby plus another 5 minutes of call time, totaling 66 minutes. The receiving channel must stay open throughout. It cannot be shut down to save power.
6. Fault Simulation Documentation
The second new mandatory item, with no transition period buffer. For intermittent communication interruptions, firmware degradation, and chip aging faults that the laboratory cannot physically reproduce, the manufacturer must provide supporting test programs and complete reproduction records in document form.
7. Periodic Roadworthiness Testing
Mandatory enforcement from January 1, 2028. Involves reading eCall status information via the vehicle diagnostic interface, plus echo and speaker voice verification. The whole-vehicle certification holder is the obligated party. Component manufacturers must reserve diagnostic interfaces at the design stage.
Additional Notes
UN R144 and NG-eCall can take a joint testing path. Communication RF and GNSS positioning baseline tests are shared. GDPR privacy and EU-specific PSAP compatibility are tested separately. The overall timeline can shrink by 20% to 30%, saving a full independent testing round in the long run.
Dual-market vehicles need differentiated treatment. Pure EU-export models do not need to adapt to China's GB 45672-2025 AECS BeiDou-first positioning. Co-line production vehicles must do dual-standard adaptation: the positioning module and software configuration require two sets of verification, significantly increasing test volume.
Complete test reports, fault simulation documents, backup power endurance records, and annual CoP audit materials must be retained at the EU authorized representative's office for at least 10 years. Notified bodies can audit at any time.
BlueAsia Testing is a Huawei HiCar authorized certification organization, recognized with the "Excellent Certification Organization" award in 2025. We support automakers and component manufacturers with complete NG-eCall testing capabilities and EU notified body partnerships.
For NG-eCall test item consultation, contact BlueAsia Testing: 13632500972 (Benson)
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