SOS Button

Faults and Technical chat for the Volvo XC40
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squint
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Post by squint »

Spider62 wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2020 9:12 pm Is this the one reg K6AMS at Rigby’s?
I don’t believe it!!!! - it’s only when you look at details that the number plate come up - that was my number plate but the dealership paid me back for taking it off to put onto my next car - they have not put the new number plate on!!
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Silver Moose
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Post by Silver Moose »

Moss wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 3:19 am Obviously, the system only works well when and if that local SOS centre is already equipped with the (rather expensive) E-Call technology. I doubt that this is always so, hence connection/disconnection problems which have little or nothing to do with the car (Volvo or any other car) but with the degree of technical readyness of some parts of the E-Call emergency centre network.

Now, that’s just how I understand it as someone who’s very far from an E-Call expert. Any company specialised in ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) will most certainly be able to help you much better.
Massive thanks to @Moss for educating me on this one. I also admire your humility - I suspect you understand more than you let on.

I've been watching this post with interest but have avoided comments as some have (understandably) gotten quite sensitive.

Clearly we need Volvo to fix this but, in the meantime, my primary concern is how to configure the system for now.

My understanding is that the system, by default, tries to connect to a Volvo call centre - and, apparently, fails initially. Owners can change their preference to dial the emergency systems instead - a setting that seems inherently sensible at present??

My question for @Moss is: Would you recommend this? What happens if the local centre is not equipped? Does the call divert?

Again, thanks for highlighting this. I'm slightly gobsmacked that they're not all ready but........possibly explains why so many manufacturers were getting away with not providing this facility long after it was supposedly mandatory.

Edit P.S: Just had a quick read-up and seems to me that the Default of calling Volvo goes against the legislation - particularly as it appears to be failing. I have a feeling that Volvo could be forced into a recall (to change default) over this. Just one more reason that I'll never buy another car without OTA updates (that's looking like Tesla currently as the full-electric XC40 is overpriced, and Polestar survival is anything but guaranteed).
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Silver Moose
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Post by Silver Moose »

Further to my post above, I have just tried to alter settings and found out my car does not allow me to.

Manual says I can if in market type A (which the UK is) but interface does not match the manual.

I think we should all hound Volvo. I would also respectfully suggest that the OP of this thread (@Notsure) should be our champion and complain to DVSA. Unfortunately, this is not an option for the rest of us as DVSA don't like you spamming them.......you have to have experienced the problem with YOUR car AND given the manufacturer a chance to resolve:

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-recalls-and- ... ety-defect

Edit:

This is the email I sent today - I'll post back if I get a response:

Hello,

I am the owner of an XC40, supplied to me new in March 2019 - registration XXX XXXX

I am becoming alarmed at online reports suggesting that, in the event of an accident, the inbuilt SOS system attempts to call an invalid number and, after a somewhat alarming (potentially life-threatening) delay, only then contacts the emergency services (locking out the connected phone in the meantime).

My limited understanding of the legislation suggests that all new cars should call the emergency services.......not attempt to contact either the manufacturer's own call centre or a third-party call centre. My car's manual states that I can change the default - this is incorrect, the interface does not match the manual.

I hereby invite you to provide your view of how the system should work and/or your plans to rectify any failings.

Kind regards,


XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX
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Moss
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Post by Moss »

Silver Moose wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:47 am
Moss wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 3:19 am Obviously, the system only works well when and if that local SOS centre is already equipped with the (rather expensive) E-Call technology. I doubt that this is always so, hence connection/disconnection problems which have little or nothing to do with the car (Volvo or any other car) but with the degree of technical readyness of some parts of the E-Call emergency centre network.

Now, that’s just how I understand it as someone who’s very far from an E-Call expert. Any company specialised in ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) will most certainly be able to help you much better.
Massive thanks to @Moss for educating me on this one. I also admire your humility - I suspect you understand more than you let on.

I've been watching this post with interest but have avoided comments as some have (understandably) gotten quite sensitive.

Clearly we need Volvo to fix this but, in the meantime, my primary concern is how to configure the system for now.

My understanding is that the system, by default, tries to connect to a Volvo call centre - and, apparently, fails initially. Owners can change their preference to dial the emergency systems instead - a setting that seems inherently sensible at present??

My question for @Moss is: Would you recommend this? What happens if the local centre is not equipped? Does the call divert?

Again, thanks for highlighting this. I'm slightly gobsmacked that they're not all ready but........possibly explains why so many manufacturers were getting away with not providing this facility long after it was supposedly mandatory.

Edit P.S: Just had a quick read-up and seems to me that the Default of calling Volvo goes against the legislation - particularly as it appears to be failing. I have a feeling that Volvo could be forced into a recall (to change default) over this. Just one more reason that I'll never buy another car without OTA updates (that's looking like Tesla currently as the full-electric XC40 is overpriced, and Polestar survival is anything but guaranteed).
If the E-Call system (the SOS button, as it’s called on this forum) were specifically a Volvo system, I imagine Volvo should and would have the answer to the quite obvious questions in this thread.

It’s not. https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/i ... n/ecall_en

So, rather than Volvo, any company specialised in ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) will most certainly be able to help you much better. There’s lots of information on the internet on the E-Call system, and no doubt also on ADAS and on ADAS specialised UK companies .

Still, I do not understand why Volvo seems to not inform its clients much better on the E-Call system...
squint
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Post by squint »

I was told that the Volvo SOS button connects to the same centre as Volvo On Call. So I rang VOC and the operator confirmed that to be true - she did seem rather hesitant when she told me - she said that a “message” appears on her screen when it’s an SOS call - I assume that would be the reason when after my SOS call got through after about 45 minutes, and I pressed the VOC button that straight away it tried dialling the SOS line?
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Moss
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Post by Moss »

squint wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 9:54 pm I was told that the Volvo SOS button connects to the same centre as Volvo On Call. So I rang VOC and the operator confirmed that to be true - she did seem rather hesitant when she told me - she said that a “message” appears on her screen when it’s an SOS call - I assume that would be the reason when after my SOS call got through after about 45 minutes, and I pressed the VOC button that straight away it tried dialling the SOS line?
The link in my previous message opens a webpage from the official EU website, sir. You are completely free to believe a seemingly hesitant VOC operator rather than the European Union website, but I’m afraid the hesitant operator was simply wrong, unless there would be a reason for Volvo UK to redirect (or try to redirect) the E-Call to the VOC system. Anyhow, if such a reason exists, I have no knowledge of it. The only remote possibility that comes to mind is that it has something to do with Brexit (hence the lack of communication?) but quite sincerely, I would be very surprised if it did.
squint
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Post by squint »

Moss wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 10:32 pm
squint wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 9:54 pm I was told that the Volvo SOS button connects to the same centre as Volvo On Call. So I rang VOC and the operator confirmed that to be true - she did seem rather hesitant when she told me - she said that a “message” appears on her screen when it’s an SOS call - I assume that would be the reason when after my SOS call got through after about 45 minutes, and I pressed the VOC button that straight away it tried dialling the SOS line?
The link in my previous message opens a webpage from the official EU website, sir. You are completely free to believe a seemingly hesitant VOC operator rather than the European Union website, but I’m afraid the hesitant operator was simply wrong, unless there would be a reason for Volvo UK to redirect (or try to redirect) the E-Call to the VOC system. Anyhow, if such a reason exists, I have no knowledge of it. The only remote possibility that comes to mind is that it has something to do with Brexit (hence the lack of communication?) but quite sincerely, I would be very surprised if it did.
Well.......


https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support/ar ... 510c26bbbc
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Whiterdesign
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Post by Whiterdesign »

Just as an aside. The company that runs VOC is called Wireless Car which was owned by Volvo until 2018. It was then sold to VW. It also supplies on call services to LandRover and Nissan to name a few. So we can blame VW for any problems. So let’s rename it to oncallgate!!!
squint
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Post by squint »

Whiterdesign wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:47 pm Just as an aside. The company that runs VOC is called Wireless Car which was owned by Volvo until 2018. It was then sold to VW. It also supplies on call services to LandRover and Nissan to name a few. So we can blame VW for any problems. So let’s rename it to oncallgate!!!
On their website it says:
“Copyright 2020 © WirelessCar
Owned by: Volkswagen AG and Volvo AB”
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Moss
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Post by Moss »

squint wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:39 pm
Moss wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 10:32 pm
squint wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 9:54 pm I was told that the Volvo SOS button connects to the same centre as Volvo On Call. So I rang VOC and the operator confirmed that to be true - she did seem rather hesitant when she told me - she said that a “message” appears on her screen when it’s an SOS call - I assume that would be the reason when after my SOS call got through after about 45 minutes, and I pressed the VOC button that straight away it tried dialling the SOS line?
The link in my previous message opens a webpage from the official EU website, sir. You are completely free to believe a seemingly hesitant VOC operator rather than the European Union website, but I’m afraid the hesitant operator was simply wrong, unless there would be a reason for Volvo UK to redirect (or try to redirect) the E-Call to the VOC system. Anyhow, if such a reason exists, I have no knowledge of it. The only remote possibility that comes to mind is that it has something to do with Brexit (hence the lack of communication?) but quite sincerely, I would be very surprised if it did.
Well.......


https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support/ar ... 510c26bbbc
Yes, I’ve seen that. This is actually about the VOC (Volvo On Call) system.

The E-Call system (i.e. the SOS button) that we are talking about is not a Volvo system, as you can read on the EU webpage. So clearly, VOC and E-Call (SOS button) are two very different systems.

As I said before, I do not understand why Volvo (Volvo UK, in fact) seems to not inform its clients much better on the E-Call system. Can you think of a reason ? Would this possibly have something to do with Brexit, i.e. with the UK possibly disconnecting from the (European) E-call system, so that Volvo UK redirects the E-Call SOS button to VOC ? Your guess is as good as mine.
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