Google was the first company to introduce car crash detection,rolling the tool out in 2019with theGoogle Pixel 4a. Crash detection can notify emergency services if your phone detects a crash, which could be a life-saving feature. Apple also offers crash detection on its phones and Apple Watch. Unfortunately, this crucial and useful tool has been missing from the Pixel Watch – that is, until now.
InGoogle’s June Feature Drop, as part of National Safety Month, the tech giant announced that Crash Detection will now be available on theGoogle Pixel Watch 2. It also announced that it improved Fall Detection to better detect bicycle falls and crashes. Both of these are significant, though they take some time to set up to actually take advantage of them. If you’d like to add a bit of a safety net in case you should get into an accident, you’ll want to follow the steps below.
What are car crash detection and fall detection?
Safety tools that automatically call for help
The car crash detection feature on the Pixel watch will work much the same as how it does on Pixel phones. To detect a crash, the “Pixel Watch can use info like your phone’s location and motion sensors.” Essentially, your watch will detect if you have been in a severe car accident based on movement data.
If your watch does detect a crash, an on-screen prompt will show up, checking in to see if you are okay. On top of the message, it will vibrate and sound an alarm. There is a 60-second timer (though you may adjust this time), and if you don’t check in before the timer is up, it will automatically call emergency services. If you don’t need help, you simply tap “I’m OK.” Should you need help and don’t want to wait for the timer to end, you can tap “Call 911” to have your watch call emergency services immediately. Your emergency contacts will also automatically be notified with your real-time location.
It’s important to note that these crash and fall detection tools have some caveats. For both, you need to have location enabled. Also, if you have the Pixel Watch 2 Wi-Fi version, you will need to be within range of your phone and connected to Bluetooth for your phone to call emergency services. If you have the Google Pixel Watch 2 LTE, you don’t need your phone on you, but you do need an active LTE connection on your watch to call emergency services.
How to set up crash detection
Simple steps will add a safety net
If you’d like a little assurance that you’ll be able to get help when you need it if you’re in a car crash, follow the steps below to set up car crash detection.
you may also use the Personal Safety app on your paired phone.
Or, you can use the Google Pixel Watch app as well.
Car Crash Detection on the Pixel Watch is a new feature, and Google may not have rolled it out to your device yet. If you don’t see the option to enable Car Crash Detection on your Pixel Watch 2, wait a few days before trying again.
