Deutsche Telekom, one of the world’s leading integrated telecommunications companies, and Gemalto, the world leader in digital security, together announce that BMW automobile is embedding their Machine-to-Machine (M2M) solution in its latest car models to enable emergency call (eCall) services.
Deutsche Telekom is the first network operator whose automotive MFF-SIMs solutions are built into an industrial product series, further demonstrating its innovation leadership in the automotive industry.
Wide scale deployment started in 2009 and to date, over 200,000 BMW cars in use across Europe are already equipped with the M2M solution from the two companies. Deutsche Telekom provides the central component for the mobile-based emergency system with wireless communication link for vehicles all over Europe, in cooperation with its roaming partners. Gemalto developed a highly durable Machine Identification Module (MIM), the dedicated M2M-Form-Factor (MFF) SIM, to meet the quality requirements of the automotive environment and to ensure service availability for Deutsche Telekom and BMW car owners.
The solution enables a reliable connection to BMW Connected Drive’s driver assistance and information service via Deutsche Telekom and its roaming partners’ networks. The service includes an assistance center that dispatches swift help in emergency situations. Activation of the crash sensors in the car triggers an automatic call to the call center and reports the exact car position. The emergency call can also be set up manually if car trouble occurs.
Deutsche Telekom’s new Connected Car business unit generates growth potential from the evolving needs towards mobility. Working with strong partners like Gemalto and other technology companies, Deutsche Telekom is creating solutions for safer and more efficient driving, economic and ecological fleet management. Deutsche Telekom sees huge market opportunities considering there are over 350 million cars in Europe alone.
