Toronto, Ontario -- A new whitepaper says advanced vehicle crash-alert technology could reduce traffic deaths by speeding up emergency response after serious collisions.
The report, commissioned by Intrado, a company that provides emergency communications services, and produced in partnership with automotive research firm SBD Automotive, examines advanced automatic collision notification, known as AACN.
AACN systems automatically send detailed crash information from a vehicle to emergency services without requiring a driver or passenger to place a call. The data can include the vehicle’s location, crash severity and indicators of possible injuries.
According to the report, emergency response today often depends on a vehicle occupant or bystander calling 9-1-1. That approach can be delayed when occupants are injured or unconscious, when crashes occur in low-traffic areas or when callers are unable to provide accurate information about their location or condition.
Research cited in the whitepaper shows that when emergency response takes longer than about 12 minutes, mortality increases by 46% compared with responses that arrive in under 7 minutes.
The report describes AACN as a significant change from existing systems because it automatically transmits precise crash data directly to emergency communications centres. That data can include injury severity predictions, vehicle telemetry and information about vehicle occupants, which the authors say can help speed up decision-making and improve how emergency resources are deployed.
AACN is designed to operate within existing 9-1-1 workflows rather than replace them, the report says. Crash data is transmitted from the vehicle into next-generation 9-1-1 networks, then into call-handling and dispatch systems and on to first responders.
The study estimates that widespread adoption of AACN could prevent approximately 2,100 deaths per year in the United States. The estimate is based on analysis of U.S. crash and emergency response data.
“These findings show a clear expectation from consumers that modern vehicles should play a larger role in keeping occupants safe, not only before a crash, but in the critical seconds after one occurs,” said Andrew Hart, chief executive officer of SBD Automotive. “By delivering richer and more reliable data directly to emergency responders, AACN has the potential to fundamentally change outcomes.”
The whitepaper also draws on an independent consumer survey conducted by SBD Automotive. It found that 36% of U.S. drivers know someone who was involved in a crash in the past year, while 25% said they have personally experienced a crash since 2020.
The survey found that eight % of occupants involved in crashes were unable to call for help themselves. While 92% of respondents said they believe an average emergency response time of about 10 minutes is acceptable, the report notes that medical data shows even small delays increase the likelihood of severe outcomes.
Strong consumer support for AACN was also identified in the survey. About 70 percent of respondents said the availability of AACN would influence their next vehicle purchase. Support for sharing vehicle and occupant data with 9-1-1 during emergencies stood at 94%. Awareness of post-crash safety features was reported by about 84% of respondents, although the report says only a minority of vehicles currently offer AACN capabilities.
Joe Custer, chief executive officer of Intrado (pictured), said faster access to crash data could improve emergency response.
“The most meaningful safety innovation of the next decade may not be a feature that prevents crashes, but one that ensures help arrives faster when they occur,” he said. “The research shows AACN is not only technically feasible, it is supported by consumers.”
The findings were presented at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year.
