Ford has teamed up with technology brand Vodafone to begin testing a feature to improve emergency response times.
With the help of connected vehicle technology, the eCall Plus system would provide drivers with a warning of accidents ahead of them and how to make a lane for police cars, fire engines and ambulances.
This is a development of the eCall setup already in place in the new Ford Focus, which automatically contacts emergency services in case of a traffic incident by pressing the model’s SOS button.
As part of the €15m (£13.8m) KoMoD (Kooperative Mobilität im digitalen Testfeld Düsseldorf) testing programme, eCall Plus would work alongside another piece of tech that Ford are developing – Emergency Vehicle Warning – which would warn drivers of the exact position of emergency vehicles on the road.
Hannes Ametsreiter, Vodafone Germany chief executive officer, said: “The digital revolution is bringing new forms of mobility which may help save lives on our roads. When cars communicate with each other, our rescue teams get a clear path forwards, so they can provide the right help at the right time, in situations when every second counts.”
See Available Ford deals
Ford Germany chief executive officer, Gunnar Hermann, said: “Connected and automated driving are key technologies of the future. Ford has a long history of developing and testing vehicle to traffic infrastructure and vehicle to vehicle communications that can contribute to greater road safety and efficiency across the world.
“Together with Vodafone and in cooperation with the other companies involved, we will gain decisive insights on the Düsseldorf testing grounds to further advance the networking of vehicles.”
