The SOS button...

[Ash700]

Please could anyone tell me if they have any experience of the Intelligent Emergency Call option? Does it work reliably? Is it worth having? It doesn’t say much about it on the Motorrad site and can’t find much about it with searches!

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Deleted account Charles Martel]

Cars have them, (they operate automatically) a colleague had a particularly nasty collision with both drivers ending up unconscious.
The Mercedes support vehicle and ambulance promptly arrived at the scene without a voice phone call being made.

I suspect it's another thing to make biking safer, though you are correct, information is a tad thin on the ground.

 

[Warlord]

Sounds like a good thing

 

[Neil W]

Now if BMW incorporated a means to remotely activate the SOS tracking facility if the bike is stolen to allow the Police to track the vehicle then it might be worth having

 

[Warlord]

Now if BMW incorporated a means to remotely activate the SOS tracking facility if the bike is stolen to allow the Police to track the vehicle then it might be worth having

That the thieves would know how to disable in 5 seconds

 

[paul08]

Now if BMW incorporated a means to remotely activate the SOS tracking facility if the bike is stolen to allow the Police to track the vehicle then it might be worth having

I believe they can. You have to get the Police to request that BMW give them the data

 

[vincentrapide]

So far mine has twice put up alerts along the lines of “lost signal, seek at appointment with your bmw dealer”. The warning eventually resets. All a bit dramatic.
The first time it happened I was riding in a fairly remote area (aren’t they all in Suffolk). The next time it was on a major road. Both times we checked our cell ‘phone signals, which proved to be ok.
I’m not entirely confident it was worth the money.

 

[Jacal]

Seems a good idea BUT, isn't there always a "BUT".....you can also activate it by just flicking the cover and pressing the button, coupled that with a few of my mates and the bloody thing would be going off like a nuclear attack was happening

 

[Neil W]

At work our protected carriers started being fitted with fire suppresion kit under the bonnet controlled by a clearly marked (and covered) big red button on the dashboard , after the fifth or sixth time of some knob pressing the button they stopped recharging the extinguishers.

They fitted accident recording UDS equipment (instructions do not press the button unless the vehicle has been involved in an accident ), can you guess what happened ?

Similarly the vehicle radios began to be fitted with an emergency panic button which cut off all other radios and turned that particular set live , again can you guess what happened ?

WTF is it with red buttons and idiots ?

 

[leadfarmer]

WTF is it with red buttons and idiots ?

Don’t say that please, Trump has one, a very loud one

 

[Spareparts]

If you have an accident on a bike, it is quite likely that you will become separated from the bike. If so, how is the SOS button going to be helpful? Are you meant to crawl over to the bike (if possible) and hit the button?

 

[Deleted account Charles Martel]

If you have an accident on a bike, it is quite likely that you will become separated from the bike. If so, how is the SOS button going to be helpful? Are you meant to crawl over to the bike (if possible) and hit the button?

It's automatic in a high G ( crash) situation.

 

[POL382]

If you have an accident on a bike, it is quite likely that you will become separated from the bike. If so, how is the SOS button going to be helpful? Are you meant to crawl over to the bike (if possible) and hit the button?

The way that it works on my Ford is the system has to have a mobile phone connected, via Blu tooth, when the vehicle is involved in a collision and the airbags deploy, the system notifies a control centre with the location of the vehicle. The Control room staff then phone the mobile to ask if you require any assistance, if you do not reply they notify the emergency service that cover the location that you are in.

I assume that the BMW system works in a similar fashion, but without airbags.

 

[Sea Dog]

The way that it works on my Ford is the system has to have a mobile phone connected, via Blu tooth, when the vehicle is involved in a collision and the airbags deploy, the system notifies a control centre with the location of the vehicle. The Control room staff then phone the mobile to ask if you require any assistance, if you do not reply they notify the emergency service that cover the location that you are in.

I assume that the BMW system works in a similar fashion, but without airbags.

I don't know if it's the same on the bike version, I expect so, but the system used in BMW cars has its own autonomous connection. My daughter was in a side impact crash in her 2016 3 series earlier this year (which would have been her last year on earth in a car with lesser protection) and the sos system was awesome.

 

[Deleted account Charles Martel]

I assume that the BMW system works in a similar fashion,

Yep !

To activate the system, the driver does not need to enable a SIM card, nor bear additional costs for the use of the data service. The "intelligent emergency call" is active from the start of the journey and is ready for use at all times, so that it can immediately call for help in case of an accident.

more info here ;


https://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/en/experience/engineering/safety/e-call.html

 

[Troppo]

Yes, but where are the bits and pieces mounted on the bike? How do they "call you"?

 

[Deleted account Charles Martel]

Yes, but where are the bits and pieces mounted on the bike? How do they "call you"?

A communication system in the helmet is not necessary to establish voice communication with the call centre because a vehicle-fixed speaker and microphone are installed on the right handlebar.

 

[®win]

The SIM card is mounted somewhere near or on the frame of the bike. The system can work in three ways:
- heavy crash, the system sends info about gps location, last speed and direction of the bike. The BMW call center will automatically send assistance (ambulance, police, ..)
- minor crash, the system also sends the info. The BMW call center will try to contact the rider. In case of no response they will send assistance; if there is an answer from the rider, assistance will be sent if needed.
- no crash, the rider activates the emergency call by pushing the button. A connection will be made in 10 seconds. The rider can communicate with the call center through the microphone and speaker in the unit on the handle bar. This can be helpful in case no phone is available and emergency help is needed (whitness of accident, vehicle breakdown on a dangerous spot, ...)

The contact needs to be switched on for the eCall system to work.