PSA: Google Pixel 'Car crash detection' now available in India & these European countries

Over the years, our phones have become increasingly ‘smarter’, and the Google Pixel ‘Car crash detection’ feature is a clear example of this. Now, this useful option is available in more countries, offering improved personal security to users.

According to a recent report from Mishaal Rahman (a renowned Android specialist), Google updated the Pixel ‘Car crash detection’ support page indicating, that the service is now enabled in India and 4 new European countries: Austria, Belgium, Portugal, and Switzerland. Also, support for the feature was dropped from an old Pixel series.

‘Car crash detection’ is a personal safety feature supported by some eligible Google Pixel models. It relies on the phone’s multiple sensors to detect a car accident and automatically contact emergency services, who can come to help as quickly as possible. It is one of those features that can save lives in situations where every second can be vital.

That said, there are now 20 countries where people can use the ‘Car crash detection’ feature. The complete list of markets where it is available is as follows:

• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• France
• India
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Norway
• The Netherlands
• Portugal
• Singapore
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• The UK
• US

Also, currently, these are all the languages compatible with the ‘Car crash detection’ service:

• Danish
• Dutch
• English
• French
• French (Canada)
• Italian
• Japanese
• Mandarin Chinese
• Norwegian
• Spanish
• Swedish

There are still notable absences of key markets on the list, such as Germany. Also, while the feature is now available in India, the list of supported languages does not yet include ‘Hindi’.

A curious detail after the latest update to the ‘Car crash detection’ support page is that, although its availability was expanded to more countries, Google silently dropped support for one of its oldest series. More specifically, the Google Pixel 3 series has lost official support, and is now compatible with the Pixel 4 series onwards.

For now, there is no confirmation about a possible expansion of the service to more countries or about support for more languages in the future. Although, given what we have seen, it is likely that it will happen sooner rather than later.

How car crash detection in Pixel works

Car crash detection in Pixel smartphones is an innovative feature designed to enhance user safety during potentially life-threatening situations. To enable this functionality, the device requires access to specific sensors and permissions, including your location, physical activity data, and microphone. The process begins with the phone continuously monitoring these sensors to detect abrupt and unusual changes in motion that might indicate a car crash. If such a situation is detected, the Pixel smartphone automatically takes action by initiating a call to emergency services on your behalf. This call leverages Android’s Emergency Location Service, ensuring that your precise location information is shared with the responders.

How to enable Car Crash Detection on your Pixel:

By following these steps, you’ll have car crash detection enabled on your Pixel device:

1. Access Settings: To turn on car crash detection, you’ll need to access the Settings app on your Pixel phone.
2. Navigate to Safety and Emergency: Scroll down the list of available options within the Settings app, and look for ‘Safety and Emergency.’ Tap on it to access the related settings.
3. Enable Car Crash Detection: Within the Safety and Emergency settings, you will find the ‘Car Crash Detection’ option. Tap on this option.
4. Activate the Feature: To enable car crash detection, simply toggle the switch to the ‘On’ position. This ensures that the feature is active and ready to protect you in the event of a car crash.