Google is making it far easier for emergency services to find you in a crisis (GOOG)

AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara

Google's latest feature could be a literal lifesaver.

The Californian technology company has created a new feature for Android called Emergency Location Service.

When you call an emergency number — whether for police, or an ambulance, or the fire brigade — it uses data from your phone like GPS and WiFi to work out where you are, then sends that information to the emergency services.

This means they should be able to find you much faster than if you give your address manually — which in emergency situations, can mean the difference between life and death.

The feature isn't available worldwide just yet: It requires the support of mobile networks, and is currently live in the UK and Estonia, Google said in a blogpost on Monday. (In the UK, supportive networks include BT, EE, O2, Vodafone, and 3.)

A wider roll-out is definitely on the cards, though. "We look forward to making Android’s Emergency Location Service available internationally," wrote product manager Askshay Kannan, "and [we] are actively engaging with more countries and operators to make this widely available.

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