eCall (Part 1)

For 2013, it is being predicted that the main driver of M2M adoption will be the automotive industry. And this is being largely based on the European Union's decision to mandate that all newly registered motor vehicles must be equipped with an eCall emergency call system by 2015. Automotive manufacturers will focus on integrating embedded SIMs to comply with this regulation. The drive to connected entertainment, multimedia, navigation and telematics will definitely add to this number.

eCall: Time saved = lives saved

In case of a crash, an eCall-equipped car automatically calls the nearest emergency centre.

Even if no passenger is able to speak, e.g. due to injuries, a 'Minimum Set of Data' is sent, which includes the exact location of the crash site. Shortly after the accident, emergency services therefore know that there has been an accident, and where exactly.

eCall cuts emergency services response time. It goes down to 50% in the countryside and 60% in built-up areas. The quicker response will save hundreds of lives in the EU every year. The severity of injuries will be considerably reduced in tens of thousands of cases.

You can also make an eCall by pushing a button inside the car. Witnessing an accident, you can thus report it and automatically give the precise location. As eCall normally 'sleeps', it does not allow vehicle tracking outside emergencies.

The system is based on the use of the single European emergency number 112 *, which will allow its interoperability throughout the European Union (EU).

The emergency call can be triggered either manually by the occupants of the vehicle or automatically, in the event of a serious accident, thanks to the sensors installed in the vehicle.

In the next part of this post, I will analyze the privacy aspects of the eCall service and possible acceptability/rejection of such a service.

Wireless M2M and Security -- Big markets of the future

According to a new research report from the analyst firm Berg Insight, shipments of wireless M2M modules for security applications in EU27+2 is forecasted to grow from 2.9 million in 2011 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 47.1 percent to reach 20.0 million in 2016. At the same time, the number of tracking devices and wireless alarm systems monitored from an alarm receiving centre and similar will grow from 9.1 million in 2011 to 39.7 million by the end of 2016.

Adoption of cellular connectivity is increasing in the intrusion alarm systems industry. Berg Insight estimates there will be 4.3 million alarm systems connected to cellular networks in Europe by 2016. Insurance companies encourage the use of dual fixed line and wireless signalling solutions in monitored alarms. By adding a secondary wireless link, communication becomes more reliable and cannot easily be disrupted. The market for intrusion alarm systems will continue to grow for many years to come. “The penetration of monitored alarm systems has only reached about 3 percent of all businesses and households in Europe”, says André Malm, Senior Analyst at Berg Insight. He adds that only about 2 percent of all households in Europe have a monitored alarm system. The economic climate will however have a major effect on near-term growth in major markets such as Spain and the UK as fewer households are willing to make investments. Nevertheless, recurring revenues from alarm monitoring services for existing clients have proven relatively resilient despite the economic downturn. “Alarm systems are becoming more valuable for customers as the scope of offerings are being expanded to include detection of fire, gas and water leaks, or even home automation functionality” concluded Mr Malm.

Vehicle tracking and recovery remains the largest application area for wireless M2M communication in the security industry, using devices that combine GPS and GSM/GPRS technologies. The main markets in terms of units and value are tracking of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. In many countries, owners of luxury cars often need to install tracking systems when applying for an insurance policy. The proposed European eCall initiative imposing that all new cars sold in the EU from 2015 be fitted with an automatic emergency call system is likely to also drive adoption of stolen vehicle tracking services. In addition, there are many emerging niche markets for tracking systems such as construction equipment, leisure vehicles and boats.

2013: M2M predictions

2013 M2M predictions from Jürgen Hase, VP of M2M Competence Center at Deutsche Telekom and Chairman of the M2M Alliance - FierceWireless, Europe

Middleware layers will speed up development and deployment: New horizontal middleware layers for M2M will emerge. Placed on top of existing layers such as connectivity and device management, they will provide support for common tasks in all industries – for instance, in setting up heterogenous sensor networks for industrial monitoring. This will accelerate the development and deployment of M2M solutions, while drastically reducing development costs. Huge benefits are expected for both solution developers and adopters.

Big Data: M2M is about to enter the next evolutionary stage: at the moment we collect data, but the real benefits of M2M will become apparent by analyzing this data. Today, it is already possible to detect attrition in production facilities by analyzing data in real time. Combined with machine learning algorithms, such applications will recognize more and more patterns and allow completely new insights in our businesses.

Alliances: M2M is not a local based business. In 2013, we will witness a number of strategic alliances, which will shape the future of the M2M market. They will work to overcome a major challenge in the long run: to provide seamless services in all countries. Furthermore, alliances are necessary to improve quality of service and establish M2M communication standards.

Automotive drives M2M in Europe: In Europe the main driver of M2M adoption will be the automotive industry. The European Union has decided that starting in 2015 all newly registered motor vehicles must be equipped with an eCall emergency call system. Automotive manufacturers will focus on integrating embedded SIMs to comply with this regulation. Furthermore, telematics and connected entertainment services are additional M2M solutions, which will be subject to mass-production.

Health drives M2M in the USA: Healthcare will be a main driver of M2M in the USA. Using M2M devices, a patient's state of health can be monitored continuously. A computer checks readings such as blood pressure, pulse or blood sugar level and notifies a doctor or care workers in the event of an emergency. As American health insurances recognize the potential long term savings, they will subsidize a great number of M2M solutions in 2013

M2M is SMART