Contacting 911 isn’t always as easy as telling an emergency operator where it hurts.
Google understands that sometimes callers are unable to verbally communicate—whether injured, in a dangerous situation, or suffering a speech impairment.
So the tech titan is introducing a new way to share information about the help you need without speaking.
The unnamed feature will be available in Google’s Phone app on Pixel and select Android devices.
Simply tap on the “Medical,” “Fire,” or “Police” buttons during an emergency call to convey the type of crisis through an automated voice system.
“That service works on-device, which means the information stays between you and emergency services, and the service functions whether or not you have a data connection,” Product Manager Paul Dunlop explained in a blog announcement.
Once the program is activated, you can choose to speak directly to an operator.
As anyone who’s ever watched a true-crime television show knows, a key ingredient to any 911 phone call is a location.
Your whereabouts, which come directly from a mobile phone’s GPS, are often already shared with the operator.
Google’s new feature, however, takes things a step further, providing similar location information, as well as the caller’s plus code—”another reliable way to help emergency services accurately locate” someone,” according to Dunlop.
“Like the rest of the content shared with the operator using this feature, your location stays between them and emergency services,” he added.
The automated voice service will roll out over the coming months to U.S. Pixel owners. Google did not provide any additional details about release dates or compatible handsets.
“We’ve been collecting feedback from public safety organizations, including the National Emergency Number Association, to make this feature as helpful as possible,” the blog said. “And we look forward to continuing our collaboration with the emergency services community to make people safer.”
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