Saudi Arabia’s standards body SASO recently published a notice postponing the mandatory eCall emergency‑call system deadline by one year, while also simplifying one test requirement.

Bottom line: SASO 2944:2023 – Technical Requirements for Motor Vehicle Emergency Call Systems – now becomes mandatory on 1 January 2028 (previously 2027). On the same date, the PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) test has been removed from the eCall conformity assessment procedure.

The timeline has moved back and one test has been cut – but the documents you need to prepare remain unchanged.

1. What Has Changed in SASO eCall Certification?

Three core changes – one by one:

1.1 Implementation delayed by one year
Originally set for 2027, now moved to 1 January 2028.
This extra year is not a free pass. SASO’s wording is clear: “the implementation date is postponed – not the compliance obligation.” Technical documents, test reports, and conformity materials must still be prepared against SASO 2944:2023. Labs should be engaged, and pre‑testing should proceed.

1.2 PSAP test removed
The Public Safety Answering Point test is no longer required in the conformity assessment procedure.
Previously, PSAP testing simulated a full end‑to‑end link – after a crash, the eCall system dialled the emergency centre and transmitted the minimum data set. SASO has now removed this test item entirely.

1.3 CST standard updated
The communications‑related technical reference has changed – CST‑RI056 is replaced by SASO‑CST‑RI120.
This is easy to miss. When submitting your plan, confirm that your lab/notified body references RI120 – submitting against the old number will mean rework.

  2. What Has NOT Changed in SASO eCall Certification

The deadline moved and PSAP testing was removed – but all applicable requirements of SASO 2944:2023 remain unchanged.
eCall system technical specifications, on‑board unit functional requirements, communications protocols, minimum‑data‑set fields, and crash‑trigger logic – all stay the same. Manufacturers must still prepare:

·Complete eCall technical documentation – system architecture, hardware config, software version, comms module parameters – line‑by‑line against the standard.

·Compliance test reports – issued by a lab (not internal debugging reports), covering all mandatory test items in SASO 2944:2023.

·Declaration of Conformity – signed by the manufacturer, confirming the product meets all applicable clauses.

·CST communications compliance materials – now against SASO‑CST‑RI120 – the old RI056 is no longer accepted.

  3. What the Removal of PSAP Testing Means – Practical Impact

PSAP removal is the biggest operational change.
Previously, the lab had to coordinate with Saudi Arabia’s local PSAP system to verify that the eCall unit’s data could be correctly decoded. This step was time‑consuming – affected by local operator links and PSAP availability.
SASO deleting this item removes a major bottleneck. Labs now only need to verify the eCall unit’s own technical performance – no more on‑site PSAP integration testing in Saudi Arabia.
However: removing PSAP testing does not mean the eCall system no longer needs to connect to an emergency centre. The functional requirement remains – but PSAP integration is no longer a precondition for conformity assessment.

  4. What to Do Now – Practical Guidance

If you have already started certification – you can immediately benefit from the PSAP removal. Check with your lab/notified body that:

·The assessment plan has removed PSAP test items.

·The CST standard has been updated to RI120.
Once confirmed, continue the process – no resubmission required.

If you are planning certification – the deadline is now January 2028, but do not wait until the last quarter. eCall certification involves vehicle‑level comms architecture, crash‑sensor calibration, and TCU selection – not a simple component swap. Plan to schedule testing by mid‑2027 at the latest to allow remediation buffer.

If you already hold a certificate – your certificate’s validity and compliance obligations remain unchanged. When your next annual review or standard‑revision cycle occurs, update the assessment plan accordingly.

For SASO eCall certification, contact BlueAsia at 13534225140 (King) or king.guo@cblueasia.com.