LG Electronics demos hybrid eCall across 2G to 5G in Sweden

LG Electronics demonstrated a Hybrid Emergency Call system on April 23 at the 37th Meeting Week of the 5G Automotive Association in Gothenburg, Sweden. The system is designed to keep vehicle emergency communications working across 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks.

The demonstration focused on the capabilities of LG Electronics' telematics control unit for vehicle emergency calling. Hybrid eCall refers to an emergency call approach intended to maintain service across multiple mobile network generations, including legacy 2G and 3G networks as well as 4G and 5G.

The demo reflects a broader automotive connectivity issue: connected cars may need to operate across mixed network environments as operators retire older networks at different times in different countries. The 5G Automotive Association has been working on next-generation vehicle connectivity, including NG eCall, while automakers and suppliers continue to support emergency communications during the transition from legacy cellular networks to 5G.