Now Your Android Can Transmit Live Video to 911.
In the event of an emergency or crisis, the more information you provide to first responders, the better. Android users can now share a live feed of their surroundings with 911 , allowing emergency services to assess the situation and provide recommendations in real time while you wait for help to arrive.
Emergency services on Android
Your Android already shares some information with emergency location services (unless you disable this feature). This built-in tool sends your precise location, along with contextual information like language settings, when you call or text an emergency number. This now includes live video from your device’s camera.
Setting up the Emergency Live Video feature is simple. Once it’s available in your region, emergency responders can send a request during an emergency call or text message to securely share your camera’s live video. A prompt will appear on-screen, allowing them to start sharing with just one tap.
According to Google, the Emergency Live Video feature is encrypted by default. Users can choose whether to share their video directly from a pop-up window and stop broadcasting at any time by clicking the “Stop Broadcast” button on the screen.
The live video sharing feature is now available to users in the US, as well as in some regions of Germany and Mexico, on Android phones running Android 8 and above. Google is partnering with public safety organizations to expand this feature’s availability to more users.
Other Android security features
Emergency Live Video is Google’s latest safety innovation, designed to make help more accessible and faster in emergency situations. Pixel users in Australia, North America, and several dozen European countries now have access to Satellite SOS, which lets you call emergency services even without cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Car Crash Detection contacts emergency services and shares your location in the event of a serious accident, while Fall Detection and Pulse Loss will call for help based on Pixel Watch sensor data.