Volkswagen has filed a patent with the European Patent Office for an innovative emergency response system that ensures reliable communication during driver incapacitation. Unlike current systems that stop and call emergency services immediately, VW’s technology prioritizes finding a location with strong cell signal before bringing the car to a controlled stop.
The system keeps the vehicle moving in its lane until it detects sufficient reception, then initiates the stop and emergency call. As a backup, it can also send an SMS with critical location details if voice communication fails. This ensures timely assistance, addressing a major gap in current systems by guaranteeing contact with emergency services.
Clever Upgrade to Automatic Emergency Stopping
An automatic stopping and e-call system can bring a vehicle to a controlled stop in case the driver becomes unconscious. Modern vehicles are equipped with such a system that usually encorporates one or more of the following functions:
- Triggering various audio and visual alerts to try to wake the driver
- Bringing the vehicle to a controlled stop if the driver remains unresponsive
- Switching on the hazard warning lights
- Calling the emergency services
Mobile phone reception can often be unreliable, especially in remote areas, posing a critical challenge for connecting with emergency services. Volkswagen’s innovative patent addresses this issue by prioritizing areas with strong mobile signals. Instead of stopping the vehicle immediately, the system delays halting until a better signal is detected, ensuring a higher likelihood of successful communication.
While searching for optimal reception, the automated driving system maintains the car’s position safely within its lane. Additionally, to counteract weak signal scenarios, the system includes a backup feature: sending an SMS with crucial location details to emergency services, ensuring vital information is conveyed even if the voice call fails.
Enhancing Safety While Addressing New Challenges
VW’s system enhances existing auto-stopping and e-call features by prioritizing reliable contact with emergency services, using signal strength as a key factor in deciding when and where to stop. This added layer of functionality provides significant peace of mind, ensuring vital communication is more likely to succeed in critical situations.
However, like many current auto-stopping systems, it introduces a new risk: vehicles coming to a halt on active roadways—especially in high-speed lanes on highways—can become hazardous stationary obstacles. For these systems to be truly effective, they must evolve to include advanced traffic negotiation capabilities, such as safely changing lanes to stop on the shoulder, minimizing the risk to occupants and other road users.
