Austroads: Transport Research and Trends

Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) systems, such as eCall, automatically notifies emergency services in the event of a crash, transmitting key data such as the location, time and severity of the incident. The primary purpose of ACN is to aid faster response time to crashes, increasing the likelihood of occupants surviving a crash. While ACN technology is becoming increasingly common in new vehicles and personal devices like smartphones and smartwatches, Australia and New Zealand face challenges in its adoption.

As part of the project, a research report was developed, which provides a summary of the ACN services emerging in Australia and New Zealand, including their operation, benefits, market uptake, and high-level costs to implement. Approaches taken in other countries are also identified, to assess the applicability and potential implications of these approaches to Australia and New Zealand.

In this webinar, the presenters outlined project aims, methodology, key findings from the report and next steps. Drawing from lessons learned from preparing the report, international deployments and local stakeholder feedback, this webinar explored how ACN can be effectively implemented to maximise safety and economic benefits, and highlight key decisions around technology standardisation, investment in emergency response systems, and ensuring equitable access to the technology. Presenters also answered Q&A at the close of the session.