The new Pixel car crash detection feature in India: how to enable and use it

Google just made the Pixel phone’s auto accident detection the ability available in India. This feature detects serious incidents and calls emergency help by using motion sensors, location, and sound from the surroundings.

With the release of the iPhone 14 series in 2022, Apple included the Crash Detection feature, and ever then, Apple fans have been proud of the security that their iPhones and Apple Watches offer. But Google actually invented the crash detection technology before Apple did.

In 2019, Google released the function on the Pixel 4. Initially available in a few countries, users in Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, and India are now able to use the service. Only a few Pixel models – the Pixel 4a, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, and Pixel 8 Pro – will have access to the safety function in India.

The feature is also accessible in Pixel 4a and all subsequent devices, including the Pixel Fold, for consumers in international regions. The fact that the feature is only presently available in 11 languages-English, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Japanese, and others-should not be overlooked. Unfortunately, Hindi is not yet supported for the auto crash detection capability.

Android Central has reported that other countries, including India, are able to use the feature.

How car crash detection in Pixel works

To determine whether a user has been in a serious auto accident, Pixel 4a and later phones – including the Fold – use motion sensors, the device’s location, and sounds from the surrounding area. Access to your location, your physical activity, and a microphone are necessary for car crash detection to work. Your phone will make the emergency services call if it notices a crash. This call may send details about what happened and where you are using Android’s Emergency Location Service.

Google warns that not all phones may be able to identify crashes, adding that the feature might potentially be activated by intense activity. Your Pixel phone can occasionally be unable to contact emergency services. Google states in a blog post that “for instance, your phone might be engaged in an ongoing call or connected to a poor mobile network.”