First, the issue isn't text INSTEAD of an app or voice. Not an issue.
Second, I realize rv.net skews old, but texting is rather like email was in the 90's. Some people never communicate pretty well via text, and can get across the info they need to transmit easily.
Third, the existing emergency (real emergency, not I-have-a-flat emergencies) are essentially communicated via text. As I noted, SPOT uses text. DeLorme's REACH uses text. Even modern EPIRBs and PLBs use text, in that they communicate info via low bandwidth text. It actually predates the "texting" you see on cellphones; in ham and other radio operations using words, often with shorthand and abbreviated syntax, goes back to the telegraph days, PREdating phone. Indeed, in many emergency and military scenarios it's preferred both for brevity and clarity (voice depends on tones, which means it's a slave to the quality of the connection, whilst data can avoid that).
It's relatively easy to text location; many apps can do that already. As does SPOT. Using MMS, a guy last year sent a screenshot off his phone mapping his location to 911 in order to get hauled out of Death Valley. More and more 911 centers can now accept text emergency messages.
So, again it surprises me ERS providers can't do it. AAA won't respond. Good Sam told me no. Coach-Net is also a no (and they provide for a lot of insurers and clubs, as I understand it).
As soon as I find one that does, they'll get my business. I wouldn't think it would be tough to set up, and I would think getting the business of all the folks who are out of cell range would be nice. But maybe they don't want all those long tows....:W
