3G Shutdown: Cars Lose Automatic eCall Emergency Service
16.10.2025 | from Touring Club Suisse (TCS)
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16.10.2025, The complete shutdown of the 3G network in Switzerland, planned for the end of 2025, will directly impact drivers: The automatic emergency call service, eCall, installed in some models, will no longer function in vehicles equipped solely with 3G modules. For some older vehicle models, upgrades to continue using this potentially life-saving service are not possible.
With the shutdown of the 3G network in Switzerland by the end of the year, switching to 4G or 5G is required to ensure the functionality of the eCall system. The shutdown of the old networks directly affects integrated emergency communication: Only newer vehicles compatible with current technologies can continue using this system.
**eCall - a system to save lives**
Since 31 March 2018, the emergency call service has been mandatory for cars and trucks registered in Europe and Switzerland. In the event of serious accidents, this system automatically establishes a voice connection between vehicle occupants and an emergency call centre. In 2024, the TCS handled more than 2,700 such calls. In the event of a collision, particularly when airbags are deployed, the vehicle automatically transmits important information: the time and location of the accident, type of powertrain, and number of belted occupants. Through voice communication, rescuers can better assess the situation and adjust rescue measures accordingly. eCall can also be manually activated by an occupant via an SOS button, ensuring emergency communication even if the alarm is not automatically triggered.
**The vehicle's manufacturing year is crucial**
Especially models manufactured before 2018 can be affected by the shutdown of the 3G network. Some manufacturers provide the option on their websites to check if a vehicle is affected and whether updates are available to continue using the eCall system. Authorised dealers and workshops can also provide this information. In vehicles equipped solely with 3G modules, the eCall system can no longer be used. For some older models, no updates are available, meaning that installed emergency systems are no longer operational. Retrofit solutions are available on the market, such as adapters for 12-V sockets (cigarette lighters). However, to forward calls to emergency numbers stored on the phone, these devices usually need to be connected to a mobile phone. Newer vehicles compatible with 4G or 5G can continue using eCall.
**What to do in an emergency**
In the event of an accident or emergency situation, help can be reached at the following emergency numbers: Police 117, Fire Brigade 118, Ambulance 144, and the general emergency number 112 (valid throughout the European Union). Additionally, TCS members can make geolocated emergency calls via the TCS app, which can be used from anywhere, such as on ski slopes or hiking tours. The app is free and automatically transmits the location during a call within Switzerland. In the event of a breakdown or accident, quick assistance is guaranteed.
**Quick help in emergencies** - Through emergency numbers 144, 118, 117, or 112 - With the TCS app, geolocated emergency calls (breakdown/accident assistance) can be made - The app is free and can be used everywhere, also when skiing or hiking. Within Switzerland, it automatically transmits the location with the emergency call.
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Touring Club Suisse (TCS)
Since its founding in 1896 in Geneva, the Touring Club Switzerland has been serving the Swiss population. It is committed to safety, sustainability, and autonomy in personal mobility, both politically and socially. With 1900 employees and 23 regional sections, Switzerland's largest mobility club offers its approximately 1.6 million members a wide range of services related to mobility, health, and leisure activities.
Every 70 seconds, assistance is provided. 200 patrol officers are on Swiss roads annually with about 359,000 operations, enabling immediate resumption of the journey in more than 80% of cases. The ETI Centre organises around 57,000 assistance services annually, including 3,200 medical clarifications and over 1,200 repatriations. The TCS Swiss Ambulance Rescue is the largest private player for rescue service and patient transport in Switzerland with 50 vehicles, 17 logistics bases, and over 35,000 operations per year. The legal protection offices handle 42,000 cases and provide around 10,000 legal advices. Since 1908, the TCS has been committed to road safety in Switzerland by developing teaching materials, awareness and prevention campaigns, testing mobility infrastructures, and advising authorities.
Every year, the TCS distributes around 110,000 reflective belts and 90,000 reflective vests to children to ensure their mobility safety. The driving centres count 42,000 participants annually in training and education in all categories of vehicles. With 33 sites and around 950,000 overnight stays, the TCS is the largest camping provider in Switzerland. The TCS mobility academy researches and shapes transformations in transport, such as vertical mobility by drones or shared mobility, for instance, with the 400 electric cargo bikes "carvelo" and 40,000 users. The TCS is a co-signatory of the Roadmap Electromobility 2025.
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Source: Touring Club Suisse (TCS), Press release
Original article published on: 3G-Abschaltung: Autos verlieren den automatischen Notruf eCall