NG eCall (Next‑Generation eCall) is the EU’s next‑gen in‑vehicle emergency call system certification. For OEMs exporting to the EU, this has become unavoidable. The new regulation (EU) 2024/1180 came into force, changing the underlying communication technology and test standards. Many online articles get the timeline and details wrong – here’s the real picture.

1. How NG eCall Differs from Old eCall

The old system, CS‑eCall, ran on 2G/3G circuit‑switched networks. After a crash, the in‑vehicle module sent MSD (Minimum Set of Data) via in‑band modulation over the voice channel – voice and data shared the same pipe, slow and limited. MSD contained only position, VIN, occupant count, heading – not much else. A vehicle built in 2022 might, by 2027, find no 2G/3G signal to initiate an emergency call – that’s why CS‑eCall is being phased out.

Network sunsetting varies by region: Western Europe largely shut down 3G by end‑2025, but Eastern and Southern Europe may keep 3G until 2028‑2030. 2G will remain longer – some countries keep 2G voice until after 2030 for IoT and emergency backup. If you export to multiple regions, don’t design on a single “no 3G after 2025” assumption – check infrastructure per country.

NG eCall moves to 4G/5G, using IMS packet‑switched networks. Voice goes over VoIP, MSD over IP data – two logical channels in parallel, faster and extensible.

The primary regulation is (EU) 2024/1180, replacing the older (EU) 2015/758. Technical supplements: EN 17184:2024 (functional standard) and EN 17240:2024 (test methods). The online‑circulated “(EU) 2025/1871 amendment” does not exist in the EU Official Journal – it’s fictitious.

  2. NG eCall Compliance Timeline – Three Real Dates

Some online sources list four dates, two of which are wrong.

·1 January 2025: NG eCall component and vehicle certification applications open.

·1 January 2026: All new vehicle types must be equipped with NG eCall to obtain type approval. Pure 2G/3G solutions for new applications are rejected. Any new‑development project not yet switched to IMS will hit this wall.

·1 January 2030: All existing approved models still in production must switch to NG eCall – CS‑eCall certificates become invalid. Note 2030, not 2027. The widely cited “1 January 2027” for existing vehicles is three years too early – building production line conversions on that would waste enormous money. There is no “1 January 2028 transitional certificate expiry” – that clause does not exist.

PSAP infrastructure: Member states originally had until 2026 to complete IMS compatibility upgrades. However, the EU allows extensions to end‑2027. If you export to Southern/Eastern European niche markets, check local PSAP progress – don’t assume all are ready by 2026. Interoperability tests require connection to real or simulated PSAP environments; confirm the PSAP stage before submitting.

  3. Core Technical Requirements – Completely Different

·IMS call setup delay: EN 17184:2024 requires ≤3 seconds from SIP registration to IMS session establishment with PSAP after impact trigger – but only if the device is already camped on the network. Cold‑start no‑network scenarios have separate relaxations – don’t apply the 3s limit uniformly.

·Dual‑mode fallback – this is where most online info is wrong. NG eCall prefers IMS VoIP, but fallback to 2G/3G CS occurs when either (a) PSAP doesn’t support IMS VoIP or (b) there is no 4G/5G IMS network coverage. Most online articles mention only (a), omitting the weak‑coverage case. If your T‑Box is designed only for PSAP compatibility, a crash in a no‑4G area will fail the call – certification failure. Hardware requirement: T‑Box must have 4G + 3G dual‑mode for fallback – pure 4G single‑mode won’t pass; don’t skimp here.

·Backup power: The 66‑minute profile is split: 5 minutes of emergency voice, then 56 minutes of low‑power standby (monitoring network and potential second triggers), then another 5 minutes of voice at the end. Note: the 56‑minute portion is low‑power standby, not continuous high‑power operation. Size your battery accordingly – don’t over‑design for 66 minutes of full load.

·MSD transmission: Old eCall used MSD V1; NG eCall uses MSD V2. V2 includes optional multimedia fields (e.g., video placeholder) but they are not mandatory. There is no V3 – do not implement V3 in your stack, as it will fail. The multimedia fields will only activate when PSAP infrastructure catches up later.

  4. Relevance to Vehicle Development

·Two‑level certification:

`Component level (T‑Box): covers communication protocols.

`Vehicle level (WVTA): covers impact trigger, vehicle antenna attenuation, power fluctuations, and real‑vehicle EMC.

`Both are separate – component certification does not exempt the vehicle.

·EN 17240:2024 also includes mandatory tests for post‑crash antenna performance (degradation, high/low temperature, vibration). If your antenna placement isn’t well‑designed, deformation after impact can block the eCall signal – remediation after testing is too late; you must validate via simulation and physical crash tests at design stage.

·GDPR privacy encryption for location, VIN, etc. is a mandatory check. ETSI’s Plugtests interoperability events are voluntary pre‑tests, but products that skip them have significantly higher WVTA re‑test rates – saving this small cost often leads to larger expenses later. Plugtests mainly validate fallback reliability and latency under various network/PSAP combinations – it helps you clear protocol stack issues early.

·BEV/PHEV high‑voltage main circuit failure scenarios: backup power adds extra high‑voltage isolation tests – especially for EV manufacturers. Fuel‑vehicle backup designs are simpler; EVs must handle isolation logic and backup switching timing – many first‑time EV applicants fail here.

·China’s GB 45672‑2025 (AECS) was published in April 2025 and becomes mandatory on 1 January 2027 – note the month (January, not July). The Chinese standard references the EU framework but has independent technical paths, with stricter data security and privacy (including national cryptographic algorithms). OEMs exporting to both the EU and China must run both tracks – one solution won’t fit both.

For consultation, contact BlueAsia Testing & Certification: 13534225140 (Benson)