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Forgotten smartphone on the roof of the car: Fire brigade in action in Moritzburg!
An iPhone triggered a fire department operation in Moritzburg on July 11, 2025 after it fell from the car roof and activated eCall.
Forgotten smartphone on the roof of the car: Fire brigade in action in Moritzburg!
On Thursday afternoon at 4:40 p.m., the fire department in Moritzburg was called to an unusual operation. An automatic emergency call triggered by an iPhone left on the roof of the car caused a stir in the area. The driver had left the smartphone there for a short time without taking it back with him. When the cell phone finally fell, the alarm was activated by the device's eCall function, which immediately informed the rescue control center. The Reichenberg fire department found the iPhone at the scene, but was quickly able to give the all-clear because the technical condition of the device did not cause any further concerns and there were no accident victims nearby. After a brief check, the firefighters were able to move away again, reports Sächsische.de.
This incident sheds light on how the eCall system works, which is now installed in many new vehicle models. In the event of an accident, the automatic emergency call system communicates directly with the emergency services and not only transmits the exact position but also other important data. This can be crucial to saving lives quickly and efficiently in an emergency. According to the EU, the system could save up to 2,500 lives a year, underlining its importance consumer centre.de explained.
The other side of the coin
But not only positive aspects are associated with this system. Similar incidents like the one in Moritzburg show that false alarms and unnecessary operations are not uncommon. In another region, a cell phone that was also lost was used on a large scale after it sent out an alarm when it hit the ground. Since no contact could be made with the owner, all emergency services were alerted, but no one was found Heise.de reported.
There are also fears and skepticism among the population regarding the security of the eCall system. Although over 60% of those surveyed know the system, 40% have never heard of it, and many fear hacker attacks or that valuable time will be lost due to false alarms. These concerns should not go unnoticed, especially as the EU plans to extend eCall functions to smartphones consumer centre.de.
The introduction of the eCall regulation on March 31, 2018 requires all newly registered vehicles up to 3.5 tons to be equipped with this technology. While older vehicles are not affected, they can be retrofitted voluntarily. Nevertheless, there are some manufacturers who already offer optional eCall systems because traffic safety should ultimately have the highest priority. The hope is that such systems will allow accidents to be reported quickly and rescuers will rush to help immediately, provided that such technology is used sensibly.