DiscoverAll Things PixelGoogle AIPixel CameraHelp at HomeWellnessReviews & AwardsGift GuideNew to Pixel
How Car Crash Detection on Google Pixel can come to your aid when you need it the most.
Whether you’re driving alone or loaded up with a soccer team, if you’re in an accident, Pixel can call for help.1
A man looks into the distance standing by the side of the road A man looks into the distance standing by the side of the road A man looks into the distance standing by the side of the road

As Chris Panton rode home from lunch with his wife near their home in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, he looked up from the passenger seat to see a truck heading toward them. 

He remembers the feeling of fear when he realized the crash was imminent, followed by the smell of his car’s airbags deploying.

But then he felt something he hadn’t expected. His Google Pixel was vibrating repeatedly, as if he was getting a phone call. When Chris looked at the screen, it read “Car Crash Detected,” and gave him the option to call 911 with a single swipe. He did, and emergency services quickly arrived on the scene.1

After it was clear that everyone had emerged unscathed, Chris realized how lucky he was to have personal safety features on his Pixel there to help him. His phone was always with him, but he never thought it could help him in an accident. Now, he says, “I didn’t ever really think, ‘How is my phone going to save me today?’” 

Just what helps Pixel come to the rescue? Artificial intelligence built into Activity Recognition on Pixel. An overhead view of a road intersection with cars approaching
Pixel 10
Do spectacular, on the regular.
A phone that looks out for you

Whether you’re driving home from lunch on a familiar road or exploring a new route, Car Crash Detection on Google Pixel will be there for you if things go wrong. 

When you enable this safety feature, Pixel automatically detects if you have been in a severe accident and gives you the option to call 911. If you’re unable to respond, Pixel jumps into action and contacts emergency services with your location.1

It’s easy. Just open the Safety app and set up “Car Crash Detection” in the Features section. Make sure to allow your Pixel to share your location and enable microphone access.

“It’s an ambient detection feature, so once you’ve turned it on, it’ll activate whenever you’re in a car – whether you’re driving, in the passenger seat, or in a taxi,” says Edward Shi, Google’s product manager for Car Crash Detection. 

Car Crash Detection app on Pixel Phone screen AI-powered detection

Just what helps Pixel come to the rescue? Artificial intelligence built into Activity Recognition on Pixel. To detect crashes accurately, the Pixel team trained the AI on real and simulated car crashes, according to Enxun Wei, Google’s lead engineer for Car Crash Detection.

“We trained the algorithm for a variety of situations,” says Wei. “So even if you’re stopped at a red light and a car moving at around 25 mph or higher hits you, Car Crash Detection will still trigger.”

Pixel knows you’ve been in an accident because the AI compares data from your phone’s accelerometer, GPS, and microphone with data from the test crashes. That lets it distinguish between a car crash and sudden movements like bumps or swerves.

One of the most important pieces of information inferred by the AI, according to Wei, is the speed of the car at the moment of the crash. Since Car Crash Detection is meant to help out when drivers can’t respond, Wei and his team focused on identifying severe crashes rather than minor fender benders. Using extensive data, engineers determined that serious accidents more commonly occurred in vehicles with a relative speed of 25 miles per hour or higher at the moment of collision, and identified which speeds are linked to more severe injuries, according to Wei.

A truck driver in his cab Help is on the way

When Car Crash Detection triggers, it sets off a 60-second timer. If Pixel doesn’t get a response, it can automatically call emergency services and share your location with them using an automated message.

Thanks to Google’s Emergency Sharing feature, Pixel can also notify your emergency contacts that you’ve been in an accident, so they can stay in the loop.2 Your phone will even share your real-time location with your contacts. The service uses Google’s AI-driven network of GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile data sources to pinpoint your location.

So when you use Car Crash Detection, you can trust that assistance will be there soon.

Takeaways
After an accident, Chris Panton’s Pixel vibrated and flashed “Car Crash Detected” on the screenPixel automatically detects if you have been in a severe accident and gives you the option to call 911To sense crashes accurately, the Pixel team trained the AI on real and simulated car crashes at a range of speeds
Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL phones
Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL
Meet the new status pro.
Related products
Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL
Pre-order Learn more
Pixel 10
Pre-order Learn more
Shop more products
Related stories
A man with short hair sits in a car, holding up a gray Google Pixel phone. The back of the phone is visible, showing the camera bar and the Google 'G' logo. Google Pixel looks out for you in any situation. Your Google Pixel devices have even more ways to keep you safe. A man uses his Google Pixel phone confident in its security Going the extra mile to keep your data safe on your Pixel.
Share this article
Read on
A person wearing a red puffer jacket holds a blue Google Pixel phone to their ear while lying down and looking up. The back of the phone, with its distinctive black camera bar and Google 'G' logo, is visible.
All Things Pixel
Google Tensor: the brains behind Pixel phones.
A woman with light brown hair, wearing a blue jacket, holds a light blue Google Pixel phone, showing the back of the phone with its camera bar and Google logo. She is looking up and away from the camera, with a modern, white architectural structure and a blue sky in the background.
Pixel AI
Helpful info, right when you need it.
A close-up of a person wearing a purple sweatshirt and light-colored shorts, sitting on a red running track while stretching their leg. A Pixel Watch is prominently featured on their wrist.
Wearables
Set and stick to your fitness goals with the Pixel Watch 4.
Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Pixel 10 Pro in Moonstone and Pixel 10 Pro in Frost.
Phones
Meet the Google Pixel 10 series. A new era of “wow.”
  1. Car Crash Detection not available in all languages or countries. Car Crash Detection may not detect all accidents. High-impact activities may trigger calls to emergency services. This feature is dependent upon network connectivity and other factors and may not be reliable for emergency communications or available in all areas. For country and language availability and more information see g.co/pixel/carcrashdetection

  2. Personal Safety app features are dependent upon network connectivity and other factors and may not be reliable for emergency communications or available in all areas. For more information, see g.co/pixel/personalsafety