FAQ about the ECALL.

In the event of an ECALL activation, the system will only transmit speed-independent data that is required for immediate assistance to the BMW call centre. Accordingly, the vehicle can only be localised in an active emergency call. In this case, it is not possible to draw a conclusion about the driven speed.

In case of an automatic or manual activation of the emergency call, an encrypted data record is transmitted to the BMW call centre, which, for example, contains the vehicle identification number, the mobile phone number of the pre-installed SIM card, the time stamp of the activation, the type of emergency call (manual or automatic), the current position and the direction of travel.

The intelligent emergency call is available for an unlimited period of time and can be used without incurring additional mobile charges, e.g. roaming in the available European countries (see network coverage: bmw-motorrad.com/ecall or http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/de/technology_detail/safety/item_ecall.html).

The intelligent emergency call can be used in any emergency situation. For example, if you witness an accident, you feel unwell, the vehicle is faulty or you require other services.

In emergency situations there are no limitations on how often an emergency call can be activated. For example, if the automatic emergency call during a minor accident was interrupted during the countdown, the manual emergency call can be started via the SOS button (e.g. if you first become aware of possible injuries after a time delay). 

Intelligent emergency call includes comprehensive sensor systems and robust algorithms for accident detection, which were made as safe as possible in a variety of vehicle tests. Therefore, it can be excluded that common driving situations, e.g. pothole or obstacle crossings without damage to the vehicle or a "fall" while stationary will activate an emergency call. 

Prerequisites for automatic activation are

·       A camber at a speed of > 10 km/h

·       A camber after braking from a speed of > 10 km/h

·       A collision with an obstacle/ vehicle from a defined severity, regardless of personal speed (e.g. if the motorcycle is caught by another road user when parked)

With intelligent emergency call, the motorcycle is provided with a system that is reliably able to differentiate between a minor and a severe accident. In doing so, the system, for instance, uses information from the acceleration and heel angle sensors.   

For a manual activation of the emergency call, it is necessary to ensure that the vehicle is stable and the ignition is switched on. Furthermore, we recommend that you switch off the engine and remove your helmet to establish the best possible voice quality with the BMW call centre.

In case of automatic activation, the rescue chain is always activated for security reasons when an emergency call is made. The emergency call can only be prevented in the event of a minor camber/crash by holding down the SOS button during a short countdown (display in the instrument cluster accompanied by an acoustic signal). As soon as contact has been established with the BMW call centre, the agent is obliged to send help due to the automatic activation.

In case of a manual activation, it is necessary to speak to the call centre agent. If they are told that medical assistance is required, the agent will activate the rescue chain. Depending on the situation, the rescue chain can be activated for safety reasons if you do not or are unable to speak to the agent.

A prerequisite for making an emergency call is the availability of a mobile phone network. If a mobile phone network is not available, a connection cannot be established with the BMW call centre. The installation position of the mobile phone module in the vehicle was primarily selected to guarantee functionality so that the operability of the system is maintained as long as possible, even in the event of severe accidents. If the system itself is destroyed in a severe accident, an emergency call cannot be activated.

Both manually activated emergency calls and emergency calls activated by minor accidents can be interrupted by holding down the SOS button during a countdown. In the manual case, the connection setup is terminated when the journey is resumed or by switching off the ignition. Calls activated by severe accidents cannot be interrupted. In this case, each second counts and the rescue chain is activated as quickly as possible.

In principle, it is not necessary to test the system. In case of technical faults, a message will appear in the instrument cluster. If required, the customer can, of course, personally test the system. To do so, it suffices to briefly press the SOS button at standstill. The countdown begins (acoustic signal & presentation in the instrument cluster), so that it can be cancelled within a short time frame without establishing a connection to the BMW call centre.  If an emergency call is inadvertently made, it is important to speak to the call centre agent to inform them that it was a "system test".

The system is maintenance-free. After the initial start-up, the system is automatically updated at regular intervals when mobile phone/GPS reception exists and the ignition is switched on (e.g. while driving).

An advantage of the intelligent emergency call is that you are spoken to by the qualified BMW call centre agent in the language you selected. It is particularly important to guarantee an unrestricted transfer of information in emergency situations. The factory-set language depends on the country. Since the desired "ECALL language" is set independent of the language settings of the instrument cluster, only an authorised BMW Motorrad Retailer can specify the preferred language in the vehicle. The languages available are German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, Czech and Turkish.

If you do not want to use the intelligent emergency call function (e.g. in case of a used vehicle purchase), it is possible to have the pre-installed SIM card of the vehicle and the associated intelligent emergency call function deactivated by an authorised BMW Motorrad Retailer. A corresponding indicator light will appear in the instrument cluster if the SIM card is deactivated. The "Reactivation" of the SIM card can also be carried out by an authorised BMW Motorrad Retailer.