Efficient and reliable data transmission for cellular-and-GPS-based mayday systems

As automotive mayday systems continue their momentum to reach the worldwide market, more and more people begin to be aware the benefit of these systems. A mayday system could significantly improve the safety of the vehicle and its occupants as well as provide a variety of valuable assistance to its users. Some popular systems integrate a cellular phone with a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver as their in-vehicle equipment. When activated by a user or an emergency event, the system connects its user instantly to an operator in a 24-hour service center over the wireless cellular network. Meanwhile, the current vehicle position along with other important vehicle information are also transmitted to the center for immediate attention and further process. It becomes very important for mayday system designers to make sure that these data are transmitted efficiently and reliably. In the paper, we discuss a solution that provides such efficiency and reliability