Google Emergency Location Service India: Google has launched Android Emergency Location Service (ELS) in India. UP became the first state where after calling 112, the exact location of the caller will automatically reach the police and ambulance without any app.
Google Android Emergency Location Service ELS: If you use Android phone, then this news is very important for you. Google has launched Emergency Location Service (ELS) for Android users in India. The special thing is that Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country, where this facility is completely linked with 112 emergency service. In India, the biggest problem during emergency is to tell the correct location. In situations of panic, injury or danger, people often cannot clearly tell where they are. To solve this problem, Google has launched Emergency Location Service (ELS) for Android users. As simple as it sounds, it is actually a big change. The question is, what is ELS, how does it work and how beneficial will it prove to be for the common people?
What is Emergency Location Service (ELS)?
Emergency Location Service or ELS is a built-in safety feature of Android phones. When a person calls 112 or sends an SMS, his mobile phone automatically sends his exact location to the police, ambulance or fire brigade. For this, the user neither has to download any app nor turn on any setting.
How does ELS know your location?
ELS uses the GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile network signals in the phone. By combining the data of these three, it tracks your location with an accuracy of up to 50 meters. This is why even if the call gets disconnected suddenly, the emergency team knows where to send help.
Why is this feature so important in emergency?
People often get nervous during accidents or attacks. Many times they are not able to give their address correctly or the call gets disconnected midway. In such a situation, ELS can prove to be a game-changer for first responders. Police, ambulance and fire service will no longer have to depend only on what the caller says.
Why did Uttar Pradesh become the first state?
Uttar Pradesh Police has added this feature to its backend in collaboration with local technology partners working for 112 emergency system. During the pilot project, ELS helped identify the location of more than 20 million emergency calls and messages, including many cases where the call was disconnected within seconds.
Is your privacy safe?
Google says that privacy is the biggest priority of ELS. This feature is active only during emergency calls. Location data is not stored with Google, but goes directly from the phone to emergency services. This facility is completely free.
In which phones will this feature work?
ELS works on all Android smartphones running Android 6.0 or above. It does not require any additional app or hardware.
Will ELS be implemented across India in the future?
Google says that this launch in India is just the beginning. In the coming time, other states will also adopt this system. If this happens, the emergency response system across the country could be faster and more reliable than ever before. Overall, this step of Google may prove to be not just a new feature for Android users but a life-saving digital weapon.