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All new cars and small vans sold from April 2018 must be fitted with a device which can automatically contact the emergency services in the event of an accident, following a new law passed by the European Parliament.
Many manufacturers already offer SOS alert of "eCall" services on their vehicles but it was not previously mandatory for it to be fitted.
In the event of a serious collision, the auto emergency safety device must automatically call the nearest emergency centre. If the person in the vehicle is not able to speak, the safety device will transmit the exact location, time, direction of travel, scale of impact and whether airbags have been deployed. An eCall can also be triggered manually by pushing a button in the vehicle, for example by a witness to a serious accident.
The goal is to reduce emergency service response times by up to 60% in cities and by 50% in the countryside.
The detailed location information available has prompted some concerns about data protection from privacy campaigners.
The European Parliament said an eCall device will not constantly record the position of the vehicle, but will only relay data to determine events just before an incident. It is estimated that it will cost manufacturers less than £70 per car to fit an eCall device.
The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) welcomed the decision to make eCall mandatory.
Erik Jonnaert, ACEA secretary general, said: "With eCall to be available on new vehicle types in April 2018, this decision brings Europe one step closer to making operational a system which we have been advocating since 2004.
"Vehicle manufacturers are committed to protecting their customers' privacy. However, at the end of the day, we cannot forget that the primary purpose of eCall is safety. The industry feels the new law strikes a good balance between saving lives and protecting data."
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