Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Apple
When it’s not working on its own electric vehicle, Apple is also focusing on other ways to improve its presence in the automotive world, including the highly advertised Crash Detection.
Introduced as a feature of the iPhone 14, Crash Detection uses smartphone sensors to tell when you’ve been involved in an accident. After asking for user input, the device can automatically dial 911 and provide the first responders with critical information, including location coordinates.
The problem is that Crash Detection has so far proved to be terribly inconsistent. The number of false alarms was concerning, with authorities at some point claiming they were being spammed with such calls from people’s pockets.
As such, Apple has tried to refine the algorithm that powers Crash Detection and fine-tune its behavior. There’s still room for improvement, but in the meantime, the iPhone maker has another suggestion. What if, instead of hanging up on 911 when the device makes an unintended emergency call, you actually talk to the operator to explain what happened?
Apple has quietly updated the Crash Detection support documents to tell users that abruptly ending emergency calls is not recommended. The company explains that 911 operators should be told the call was accidentally initiated by an iPhone. This way, the first responders would know from the beginning they don’t have to further investigate the call, just in case someone really needed their help.
Before making the 911 call, Crash Detection displays a message and generates alerts to request user input. This is the moment when iPhone owners have enough time to cancel the call and therefore avoid dialing 911 for no reason.
However, Crash Detection sometimes occurs without people even noticing it. In some cases, it was triggered when people were skiing, and the iPhone was in the pocket of their jackets. It goes without saying that hearing the alerts sent by the smartphone was close to impossible. The smartphone, therefore, ended up calling 911 without owners even knowing. The first responders can’t tell precisely if a call is legitimate or not, so they end up allocating critical time and resources to figure out what happens.
This is precisely why Apple says iPhone owners should talk to 911 operators when they notice the false alarm. Hanging up on the call could only make the operators believe it was a legitimate emergency alert.
Crash Detection is only available on Apple’s latest-generation iPhones and Apple Watch models. The feature requires a cellular connection or Wi-Fi calling with an Internet connection. It’s enabled by default on all devices, so those who don’t want to use it must disable the crash detection behavior from settings. It’s located in Settings > Emergency SOS > Call After Severe Crash on your iPhone 14.
The problem is that Crash Detection has so far proved to be terribly inconsistent. The number of false alarms was concerning, with authorities at some point claiming they were being spammed with such calls from people’s pockets.
As such, Apple has tried to refine the algorithm that powers Crash Detection and fine-tune its behavior. There’s still room for improvement, but in the meantime, the iPhone maker has another suggestion. What if, instead of hanging up on 911 when the device makes an unintended emergency call, you actually talk to the operator to explain what happened?
Apple has quietly updated the Crash Detection support documents to tell users that abruptly ending emergency calls is not recommended. The company explains that 911 operators should be told the call was accidentally initiated by an iPhone. This way, the first responders would know from the beginning they don’t have to further investigate the call, just in case someone really needed their help.
Before making the 911 call, Crash Detection displays a message and generates alerts to request user input. This is the moment when iPhone owners have enough time to cancel the call and therefore avoid dialing 911 for no reason.
However, Crash Detection sometimes occurs without people even noticing it. In some cases, it was triggered when people were skiing, and the iPhone was in the pocket of their jackets. It goes without saying that hearing the alerts sent by the smartphone was close to impossible. The smartphone, therefore, ended up calling 911 without owners even knowing. The first responders can’t tell precisely if a call is legitimate or not, so they end up allocating critical time and resources to figure out what happens.
This is precisely why Apple says iPhone owners should talk to 911 operators when they notice the false alarm. Hanging up on the call could only make the operators believe it was a legitimate emergency alert.
Crash Detection is only available on Apple’s latest-generation iPhones and Apple Watch models. The feature requires a cellular connection or Wi-Fi calling with an Internet connection. It’s enabled by default on all devices, so those who don’t want to use it must disable the crash detection behavior from settings. It’s located in Settings > Emergency SOS > Call After Severe Crash on your iPhone 14.
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