|  | ### GST RESCUE Newsletter - March 2005 Realising GST RESCUE Rapid delivery of the appropriate emergency services can be the difference between life and death for a road accident victim. To help reduce the number of casualties on Europe’s roads each year, the recently launched EC-supported and ERTICO co-ordinated GST RESCUE project, which is a three-year sub-project within the Integrated Project GST (Global System for Telematics). GST RESCUE aims to optimise the delivery of data from in-vehicle emergency call systems and its subsequent use by stakeholders in the emergency service chain. Not only will in-vehicle emergency calls deliver to the dispatch centre such critical information as location and accident severity data, but the emergency vehicles themselves will use this information to employ a navigation solution and warning system permitting them to arrive safely on the scene as quickly as possible. The GST vision is that all future vehicles will be equipped with various communication means to interact with each other and their environment based on a common architecture and standard interfaces. Drivers and occupants will be able to rely on their on-board, integrated telematics system to access a dynamic offer of on-line safety-, efficiency- and comfort-enhancing services wherever they drive in Europe. The work of GST and its subprojects will feed directly into the efforts of GST RESCUE to improve the information flow and operation of the rescue chain. Managed by ERTICO, the project has 11 consortium members representing car manufacturers, network operators, public safety answering points (PSAPs), technology providers and emergency operators. This variety of input ensures a complete view of the emergency service chain. Optimising eCall Until it wraps up its work in February 2007, GST RESCUE will optimise the initialisation of the in-vehicle eCall via an expert system and the data delivery to the emergency dispatch centers and emergency vehicles. The in-vehicle data will be similar to those defined and agreed on by the stakeholders in the eSafety Driving Group on eCall and the E-MERGE and AIDER projects. When the emergency vehicles have the proper incident information, a hybrid navigation solution will help guide the driver to the scene. In addition, the project intends to test vehicle-to-vehicle communication methods that will enable the use of a “blue corridor” system to notify other drivers of an emergency vehicle’s approach as well as a coning system to warn approaching vehicles of the scene. Finally, when the emergency vehicles leave the scene, it will be possible to remotely report and transfer data (e.g. about the patient) to hospitals or other rescue units. Specifically, it will test the transmission of eCall voice and data between all elements in the GST RESCUE service chain (see figure for complete GST RESCUE overview). Ultimately the success of the developed solution will be evidenced in shorter reaction time, safer response, more complete incident information, and increased communications amongst the various players which will lead to faster and better medical intervention and thus reduced casualties. First GST workshop As part of the GST Forum Workshop held 7-8 September 2004 in Brussels, GST RESCUE had a breakout session in order to get input from the GST RESCUE Forum regarding the GST RESCUE user requirements. The GST RESCUE consortium took a visual approach and showed a video illustrating the various parts of the rescue chain. A good discussion about GST RESCUE Use Cases followed as participants were able to easily see in the video the problems that GST RESCUE is trying to solve. One of the session’s main discussions focused on what triggers an automatic eCall. The main conclusion was that the consortium must identify the number of existing sensors in the vehicle today and prioritise them according to the expected severity of the incident. (For example, a triggered heat sensor might not have the same impact as an air back sensor.) Another question related to the thresholds for triggering a sensor – which is pertinent to the vehicle manufacturers. Thus, the main conclusion was that GST RESCUE will examine the thresholds and discuss its findings with the vehicle manufacturers in order to make a joint decision. The session also discussed: What information is needed for the route guidance system to be fitted in the emergency vehicles? How can the “Blue Wave” - emergency vehicles transmitting a virtual blue light to other road users - be demonstrated and realised? Can the Virtual Cones be extended to other road users in a data light method? Thanks to these discussions, the Consortium has a clearer idea of what its next activities will be. The input from the GST RESCUE Forum regarding the user requirements was also beneficial to clarify some of the issues for the upcoming architectural phase. The next activity within GST RESCUE is to complete the architecture and specifications. GST will host an Architecture Workshop 24-25 May, with the objective to validate and discuss the approach taking by GST and GST RESCUE. Apart from the 49 GST Partners, anyone which has an interest in GST project or its subprojects is welcome to participate. Join the GST RESCUE Forum! To encourage the widest possible participation in the project and to gain consensus on proposed solutions, GST RESCUE has created a Forum. Members of the Forum: Have access to all important documents Are encouraged to provide comments and reactions Are invited to participate in future workshops Membership of the Forum is open to all interested actors, although it is envisaged to be of particular interest to car manufacturers, service providers, automobile clubs, public authorities, emergency operators, civil protection authorities and related industry such as equipment manufactures and map providers. Membership is free, including attendance to the workshops, but members are responsible for their own travel, accommodation and other costs for attending the workshops. Currently, the GST RESCUE Forum has 204 members representing a wide range of stakeholders. To become a member, please visit the GST RESCUE website. For more information, please contact GST RESCUE Project Coordinator Rasmus Lindholm GST RESCUE Consortium Partners ERTICO, CRF, France Telecom, Kreis Offenbach, Mizar, Motorola, Orange, Petards, Sussex Police, TNO, Volvo |  |