Google activates Android emergency location service in India
New Delhi, Dec 23
Google on Tuesday activated its Emergency Location Service (ELS) on Android devices in India.
Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country to fully integrate this advanced caller location technology with its 112 emergency services.
“Google has announced the activation of Emergency Location Service (ELS) in Android in India, with Uttar Pradesh becoming the first state to fully integrate enhanced caller location into its 112 emergency services,” the company said in a statement.
ELS is a built-in feature on Android phones that automatically shares a caller’s precise location with emergency responders when a 112 call or SMS is made.
The service uses a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile network signals to pinpoint the caller’s location with accuracy of up to 50 metres.
This is especially helpful in critical situations where calls may drop shortly after connecting, allowing responders to still find the person in need quickly.
Google said the service is designed with strong privacy protections. ELS activates only during emergency calls, is free to use, and does not require any additional apps or hardware.
Importantly, location information is sent directly from the user’s phone to emergency services and is not collected or stored by Google.
Before its full rollout in Uttar Pradesh, the feature was pilot tested for a few months with encouraging results.
During this period, ELS supported more than 20 million emergency calls and SMS messages, successfully identifying caller locations even when calls disconnected within seconds.
The system is powered by Android’s machine learning–based Fused Location Provider, which helps deliver accurate locations whether callers are indoors, outdoors, or on the move.
The service works on all compatible Android devices running version 6.0 and above. Once an emergency call is placed, the caller’s location is instantly visible to responders through the UP112 command system, along with routing intelligence provided by Pertsol.
This enables authorities to quickly decide whether police, medical, or fire services are needed and dispatch help without delay.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Great news, but I have a question. What about people with older phones or basic feature phones? A huge part of our population still uses them. The service should be accessible to everyone in an emergency, not just Android 6.0+ users.
The privacy assurance is the most important part for me. Knowing that Google isn't storing the location data makes me much more comfortable with this feature. Technology for public good, done right! UP setting a good example.
As someone who has had to call for an ambulance in a panic, not being able to give clear directions was terrifying. 20 million calls in the pilot phase is staggering. This will save countless lives. A much-needed upgrade to our emergency response.
Good step, but the real test is the ground reality. Will the police and ambulance services actually use this data effectively? We have great tech, but sometimes the implementation and training lag behind. Hope the authorities are properly equipped.
This is brilliant for highway emergencies or in remote areas. The fact it works even if the call drops is a game-changer. Please run awareness campaigns so people actually know about this feature and how to use it!
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