NEWS  Android  November 2, 2023  Reading time: 3 Minute(s)

Max (RS editor)

In an unexpected twist of technological irony, Google has announced the expansion of its Car Crash Detection feature on Pixel phones to five new countries, namely Austria, Belgium, India, Portugal, and Switzerland. The company that seemingly knows everything about you and your online habits has decided to turn its attention to your real-world fender-benders. But, as with most things, Google's approach to global car crash surveillance comes with a few quirks.

First, the feature is available on Pixel 3 and newer devices, which means your outdated Pixel 2 will remain blissfully ignorant of your vehicular misadventures. However, in the newly added regions, the Car Crash Detection feature is compatible with Pixel 4 and later models, including the Pixel Fold. So, if you were clinging to your Pixel 3 for dear life, you might want to start saving up for that upgrade – your life may depend on it!

Car crash detection works its magic by utilizing various sensors, location data, and nearby sounds to determine if you've turned your car into an accordion (in case you didn't notice it by yourself). And before you worry about your precious phone's battery life draining away, fear not! Google assures us that the feature is designed to sip on your battery's energy discreetly. After all, the last thing you want in the aftermath of a crash is a dead phone, right?

Now, let's talk about Apple. While Google might be expanding its reach, Apple seems to have taken the "global" part of the tech world a tad more seriously. Apple offers a similar car crash detection feature on the iPhone 14 and recent Apple Watch models, and they've decided to make it available in every single country where iPhones are sold. Bravo, Apple! Meanwhile, Google's Pixel Car Crash Detection is playing hard to get, limiting its availability to a select few countries.

To sweeten the deal, Google bundles its Car Crash Detection feature with the Personal Safety app on Pixels, which also offers nifty features like Emergency SOS and Safety Check. It's like the Swiss Army knife of safety apps, but only if you live in the specific countries where Google decides to grant you access.

So, if you're lucky enough to reside in one of the chosen lands, you can enable this safety feature. Just navigate to Settings > Safety & emergency > Car crash detection, and you're on your way to letting Google know the moment your car says "I can't do this anymore."

But here's the icing on the irony cake – this feature doesn't support local languages in the newly added regions. Google is going global, but don't expect it to speak your language. It seems like Google's Car Crash Detection is a bit like that enthusiastic tourist who goes abroad but can't communicate and ends up in a series of hilarious misunderstandings.

With the addition of these new countries, Google's Car Crash Detection works in a grand total of 20 countries worldwide. So, whether you're crashing your car in New York or New Delhi, Google has you covered...well, sort of.

In conclusion, while Google's Car Crash Detection is a step in the right direction for safety, it's clear that they still have some international homework to do. So, buckle up, Pixel users, and remember that even though Google is watching over you in certain countries, it might not always understand what you're saying when you cry for help in your native tongue.

(Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik)