Future car technologies 'will be able to alert emergency services'

Date: 21/9/2010

Cars in the future could have the ability to inform the emergency services after a road accident, one specialist has claimed.

Paul Burnley, an analyst at automotive market research firm SBD, told the BBC vehicles may be able to send data from sensors regarding their location and the number of people in the car.

This could improve the speed of the emergency services' response to car crashes, he explained, by allowing them to assess the risks of injury to victims and build up a profile of the incident.

In-car systems will become increasingly important as hybrid and electric cars rise to prominence, he continued.

Mr Burnley remarked the move away from petrol-driven vehicles will only be feasible with the introduction of sensors that can accurately judge the distance a car can travel before it needs recharging and the location of the nearest charging station.

This is due to current concerns about the range of electric cars and charging infrastructure, he added.

But Tracey Scarr, Fleet and Road Safety Manager at Arval, recently told Fleet World there is a danger drivers will neglect their own skills if they become too reliant on car technologies.

Posted by Mary Treen