Google’s Pixel car crash detection let me down on a recent trip

For the entire smarts that Google’s Pixel line-up gives, there’s a downside us privileged EU and US of us don’t usually discuss: availability. Whether or not it’s nations the place you should purchase the Pixel 8 and people the place you’ll be able to’t, markets the place Google disables 5G and forces you right down to 4G, or places the place a few of Google’s smartest Pixel-only options aren’t obtainable, there’s at all times a limitation someplace.

And whereas it is sensible to limit some options to Google’s officially-supported markets on paper, there’s at all times the query of journey. What in the event you’re a Pixel person and you probably did the unthinkable act of crossing nation borders together with your cellphone? Do you dare anticipate it to work the identical means it does in your house territory, or will options get disabled left and proper?

I had the displeasure of discovering the reply to a type of questions on a latest journey to Bilbao, Spain. The second I turned off Airplane mode on my Pixel 8 Professional, a notification popped up telling me that automotive crash detection had been disabled.

Bizarre, I believed. I used to be in an official Google market — Spain — the place automotive crash detection is formally supported. I come from France, one other official market with automotive crash detection. And because of EU laws, my SIM card mainly works the identical means in Spain and France. Alas, not in Google’s eyes.

Apparently, you’ll be able to’t use automotive crash detection once you’re roaming. Interval. It doesn’t matter in the event you’re going from one supported nation to a different; it doesn’t matter in the event you’re throughout the EU; it doesn’t even matter in the event you nonetheless have entry to calls and information. The Pixel sees your SIM card roaming and disables the operate. I’d’ve had to purchase a Spanish SIM card simply to allow it.

That could be very irritating. An important life-saving function shouldn’t be locked behind foolish restrictions, particularly in a world the place individuals journey fairly incessantly and in a continent the place everybody strikes round very simply.

I perceive that one of many features of automotive crash detection is looking emergency providers, but when my roaming SIM can dial 112 without spending a dime in Spain even with no community, then why can’t the Pixel set off it within the case of an emergency? That’s nonsensical. I’d even accept a low-grade crash detection that lets me name my very own emergency contacts if I have been in an accident. Simply inform me, “Hey, we will’t provide full automotive crash detection right here, however there’s a backup possibility you should utilize and it’ll price you as a lot as a roaming name; do you agree?” Prompt sure.

For the 5 days that I used to be in Bilbao, I walked, used transit, after which rented a automotive for a day, all whereas conscious that one of many life-saving options I normally depend on with my Pixel 8 Professional was disabled. After which, after I touched down in Paris, automotive crash detection got here again on. My Pixel simply desires me to be eco-conscious and keep house, I suppose.