The new security feature in the iPhone 14 line and the latest Apple Watches has had its ups and downs.
The collision detection function of Apple’s latest mobile devices can call 911 and emergency contacts in the event of a collision. However, it would have been triggered by roller coasters and other non-emergency situations.
The issue was reported by the Wall Street Journal, which spoke to a Cincinnati woman whose two-day-old iPhone 14 Pro automatically contacted emergency services while enjoying a day at a theme park. .
While riding the Mystic Timbers roller coaster, her iPhone dialed 911 and delivered the repeated automated voice message: “The owner of this iPhone has been in a serious car accident and is not answering his phone.” Screams aboard the roller coaster and other park sounds could be heard in the background.
The message from the iPhone included the estimated latitude and longitude of its owner’s location, and the 911 operator dispatched a crew to the theme park, where there was no emergency.
It wasn’t the first time this park had been hit by false iPhone alarms either, with local emergency services reporting six robocalls for collision detection from the site since the iPhone 14 models landed in September.
The Wall Street Journal also reports that these false alarms were triggered by phones that were dropped while riding or just after, and a phone that flew off the handlebars of a motorcycle.
How Crash Detection Works (and Doesn’t)
Apple’s crash detection feature is designed to distinguish a serious car crash using its accelerometer and gyroscope. The feature is included in the new iPhone 14 suite as well as Watch Series 8, SE, and Ultra.
It’s meant to recognize when a user is in a vehicle and is triggered by signals like rapid deceleration or a sudden stop – all of which could be easily confused by a roller coaster ride.
If triggered, the device then displays an on-screen warning for 10 seconds, followed by a 10-second audible alarm. If the user does not intervene in this window, the device will automatically call 911 and send an SMS to an emergency contact if there is one registered.
The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern previously pointed out the system’s shortcomings during an intensive test with a demolition derby champion. In this case, the system only triggered when specific crash parameters were met.
“Two wrecked cars and four deployed airbags later, we got Apple’s new marketing gem to work. But to fire consistently and reliably, the phone and watch system needs a lot of sensor data and other signals,” Stern wrote.
Although these false alarms and missed detections alerted users to serious flaws in the system, crash detection technology served its purpose when it alerted authorities to a fatal crash in Nebraska that apparently didn’t had no witnesses.
Apple says the algorithms behind the feature have been tested vigorously on more than a million hours of data from real-world driving and crash-testing labs. A spokesperson assured the Wall Street Journal that, despite the errors, the system is “extremely accurate in detecting serious accidents” and that efforts have been made to minimize false alarms. Apple also said it will improve the technology over time.
In the meantime, users should definitely adhere to theme park guidelines and not bring their smartphones on thrill rides. Otherwise, especially for Apple Watch users, they can disable the feature, which is enabled by default, or switch to airplane mode.
10 things you need to know straight to your inbox every weekday. Sign up for the brief dailythe summary of essential science and technology news from Silicon Republic.
#iPhones #call #mistaking #roller #coasters #car #crashes
