Roller Coasters Are Triggering Apple iPhone 14's Car Crash Detection, But What Is It?

Crash Detection is one of the latest features in Apple’s new iPhone 14s and Apple Watches, and on paper, the technology could be life-saving. The software detects if its owner has been involved in a car crash and calls the emergency services in case they are incapacitated. The feature could save lives, but some users are reporting that their Apple devices are calling the emergency services when they take rides on roller coasters.

According to the Wall Street Journal, several iPhone 14 and Apple Watch owners have experienced their devices activating Crash Detection at amusement parks across the United States. In some cases, the devices made calls to the emergency services and the riders were unable to do anything about it until the ride was over.

The feature is most likely triggered by the vigorous movements that the device is subjected to during a rollercoaster ride. An Apple spokesperson told the Journal that Crash Detection has been developed using “over a million hours of crash data’’, but added that Apple will continue to improve the feature over time.

See also: Motorbike Engine Vibrations Could Hurt Your iPhone, Apple Says

If the sensors are being fooled into thinking that a car crash has occurred by the sudden movements of a roller coaster, it does make you wonder what else could make the new iPhone place a call to the emergency services. It might be wise to turn your iPhone 14 off before your next track day.

#What is Apple’s Crash Detection System?

Previous versions of Apple’s emergency software have proven to be life-saving, but what exactly is Crash Detection, and how does it work? A new sensor in the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and Apple Watch Ultra is designed to detect severe car crashes such as front and side impacts, rear-end collisions, and rollovers involving a range of passenger cars.

When a severe crash is detected, the Apple device will present an emergency alert on-screen and read the alert out loud through the device’s speakers. The iPhone or Apple Watch also emits a chime sound and produces a tapping sensation on the owner’s wrist. If the alert isn’t dismissed after 20 seconds, the device will automatically contact the emergency services using a mobile data connection.

Crash Detection then reads out a message to the responder letting them know that the device’s owner has been involved in a severe crash. Crash Detection can also provide Medical ID to the emergency responder as well as precise location data of the crash.

The software may need some improvements, but we hope that more tech and car companies get behind this potentially life-saving technology.

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