Berg Insight, which produces informative reports on technological developments including the growing use of telematics devices, has predicted that by the end of 2010 there will be 4.3 million private cars in Europe using some sort of telematics technology. This may be an indication of increased interest in telematics car insurance.

Riding on the wave of this growing popularity, an eCall safety system using telemetry has been developed by the European Commission. The eCall technology makes it possible for a 112 call (the most common European emergency number) to be made automatically from the vehicle if it is involved in a crash, connecting through to appropriate emergency services without human help.

Projects such as eCall might end up saving lives, but reports suggest that France and the UK are resisting further advancement of this particular scheme.

Some telematics car insurance schemes, available in Britain from insurethebox and other companies, already use a system whereby a member of a technical team may phone emergency services should the data from the telematics device in a policyholder’s car suggest that the driver has had a severe accident. This type of tracker car insurance also allows a stolen vehicle to be located by police using GPS.

With eCall testing now complete, safety campaigners hope that the whole of the EU can move towards using the system, just as drivers in the UK are making use of telematics car insurance accident alert capabilities.