Bosch 'Help Connect' eCall system
Stuttgart, Germany based Bosch has finally launched the emergency assistance and automatic emergency call service (eCall) that it has been working on for several years.
Called 'Help Connect', it automatically alerts emergency services via smartphone. "Help Connect adds a digitally connected guardian angel to the broad Bosch portfolio of motorcycle safety systems," says Harald Kroeger, a member of Bosch's Board of management.
"With its new, intelligent crash algorithm, Bosch motorcycle sensor technology is able to detect accidents and set the rescue process in motion via smartphone app. In some cases, an automatic emergency call can reduce the accident response time by up to 50 percent."
The system uses an intelligent crash algorithm installed in the vehicle's inertial sensor unit to detect accidents. Via a smartphone app, 'Help Connect' transmits information about the accident scene and the rider to the Bosch Service Center, and from there to the emergency services, helping them find the victim faster than might otherwise be the case.
In an emergency, 'Help Connect' draws on information from the Bosch MSC motorcycle stability control, and more specifically its inertial sensor unit. One hundred times a second, this integrated sensor measures acceleration and angular velocity, i.e. how fast the angular position of an object changes with time. The sensor can thus accurately calculate the motorcycle's current position and angle of lean.
The integrated crash algorithm enables the sensor to detect automatically whether the motorcycle has been involved in an accident, or whether a mishap has caused it to fall over when being parked. It does not require an additional control unit, which makes integrating it into the motorcycle more straightforward. It connects to Bosch's Vivatar emergency app via Bluetooth.
Other smartphone apps, such as motorcycle manufacturers' proprietary apps, can also be integrated into the emergency call solution. Apart from information about location, 'Help Connect' also transmits any medical data provided by the rider to the Bosch Service Center. These data may prove vital for the emergency services. On request, other people may also be automatically contacted with news of the accident.
The emergency call service will initially be available for customers from Germany. Users will be able to communicate with the Bosch Service Center in German or English from other European countries such as Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.
If the accident is severe and the rider fails to respond, emergency services are immediately directed to the scene. As smartphones are generally carried close to the body, riders who have been in an accident can be quickly located even if they were thrown off their vehicle in the crash.
