If you are an automaker or Tier 1 supplier planning to sell vehicles in the EU, you have probably run into the term NG-eCall certification and wondered: the emergency call button on the car was already certified years ago, so why do we need to do this again?
The short answer is straightforward. The EU passed Regulation (EU) 2024/1180, making Next Generation eCall (NG-eCall) a mandatory requirement. After January 1, 2027, all traditional 2G/3G circuit-switched eCall certificates become invalid. If you want to keep selling cars in Europe, this certification is not optional.
This guide breaks down what NG-eCall certification actually is, how it differs from the old system, and what you need to know before starting the process.
NG-eCall stands for Next Generation eCall, sometimes referred to as the next-generation vehicle emergency call system.
It is a set of technical standards mandated by EU legislation to replace the legacy eCall system that has been running for nearly a decade. The old eCall relied on 2G/3G circuit-switched technology, where voice calls traveled over a CS (Circuit Switched) channel. NG-eCall switches to a 4G/5G IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) architecture, carrying both voice and data over packet-switched networks.
Why the upgrade? Global 2G/3G networks are being shut down. Major European carriers plan to phase out 3G networks between 2025 and 2027. If a vehicle's eCall still depends on 3G to make emergency calls, the system becomes dead weight once the network is gone. A crash victim presses the button and nothing happens. That is not acceptable for a safety-critical system.
One key addition in EN 17184:2024 is the mandatory backup power supply. After a crash causes total vehicle power loss, the NG-eCall system must sustain at least 5 minutes of active call time plus extended standby using a backup battery. This is a mandatory test item, and if you do not verify it before submitting for testing, you will likely face costly retests.
What Changed Compared to Traditional eCall?
1. Communication Architecture
Traditional eCall relied on 2G/3G networks to dial 112, transmitting voice and data separately, which made the whole process slow. NG-eCall uses the IMS architecture, allowing voice and data to transmit in parallel. EN 17184:2024 mandates a call setup latency of 3 seconds or less.
The dual-mode fallback mechanism deserves clarification. NG-eCall prioritizes IMS VoIP over the packet domain. It only falls back to CS circuit domain when the local PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) does not support VoIP. It does not fall back simply because 4G/5G signal is weak. After 2027, as European 3G networks are progressively shut down, the CS fallback channel is only available during a transition period and cannot serve as a long-term safety net.
2. Data Capacity
Traditional eCall transmitted an MSD (Minimum Set of Data) of roughly 140 bytes. NG-eCall uses MSD V3, which carries significantly more data. It can include crash severity, passenger status, vehicle orientation, airbag deployment status, and battery condition.
MSD V3 does reserve fields for video transmission, but EU regulations do not mandate onboard cameras or real-time video uploads. A few member states are running voluntary pilot programs, but video transmission is not part of the certification test suite. Companies do not need to install cameras just to pass certification.
3. Positioning Accuracy
Traditional eCall relied on a GPS module for positioning, with an accuracy of about 15 meters. NG-eCall combines GNSS (including GPS and BeiDou), cellular network positioning, and onboard sensor data, pushing accuracy down to 1 to 3 meters. This figure must be verified through actual testing, not just taken from a spec sheet.
Which Vehicles Need NG-eCall Certification?
EU M1 category (passenger cars, SUVs, MPVs) and N1 category (light commercial vehicles, pickups, small vans) new vehicles sold in the EU must be equipped with NG-eCall. Vehicles with new type approval applications submitted after January 1, 2026 must have NG-eCall. After January 1, 2027, all newly registered vehicles must comply.
Components also need separate certification. The T-Box, communication module, and standalone emergency call controller each require their own NG-eCall component certificates. Without these, the vehicle manufacturer cannot complete the whole-vehicle certification.
Parallel imports are a special case. A single parallel-import passenger vehicle without original NG-eCall component certificates cannot reuse batch vehicle certification. It must undergo a full independent test cycle, which takes longer and costs more.
Key Regulations and Technical Standards
The primary regulation is (EU) 2024/1180, which replaces the older (EU) 2015/758.
The 2025 amendment (EU) 2025/1871 supplements cross-member-state PSAP interoperability details and data encryption storage requirements. Your submission documents need to align with these additions.
Two technical standards govern the testing. EN 17184:2024 covers functional requirements. EN 17240:2024 covers test methods and scenarios.
UN R144 is the corresponding UN regulation. If you are targeting both the EU and other markets, the communication and positioning baseline tests under UN R144 can be shared with NG-eCall. However, GDPR data privacy compliance and Europe-specific PSAP compatibility testing must be done separately. They cannot be fully merged.
The Bottom Line
NG-eCall is not a minor software update to the old eCall system. It is a fundamentally different architecture built on 4G/5G IMS, with stricter latency requirements, richer data transmission, higher positioning accuracy, and a mandatory backup power supply. The certification timeline is tight: 2026 for new type approvals, 2027 for all new registrations, and 2028 for transition certificate expiration.
If your team is new to NG-eCall, the smartest move is to start with a gap analysis against EN 17184:2024 and EN 17240:2024 before committing to a test lab. Finding out your communication module's IMS stack is incomplete three weeks into lab testing is an expensive way to learn.
BlueAsia Testing is a Huawei HiCar authorized certification organization, recognized with the "Excellent Certification Organization" award in 2025. We offer full NG-eCall testing capabilities and partnerships with EU notified bodies, supporting OEMs and component manufacturers from gap analysis through pre-testing to final certification.
For NG-eCall certification inquiries, contact BlueAsia Testing consultant: 13632500972 (Benson)
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