The crash detection feature on Apple devices is meant to help people in case of accidents, but it turns out that roller coaster rides are also being read as mishaps.
The Wall Street Journal said that in the United States, there had been several times when people’s devices have sent crash alerts to the authorities.
Sara White sent one of these alerts from her phone while at the Kings Island amusement park outside Cincinnati.
What happened to crash detection feature during the ride?
She put her iPhone 14 in her waist pouch before going on a roller coaster there. When she checked her phone after the fall, she saw that she had missed several calls and that a 911 dispatcher had left a message asking about her.
A group was sent to the park with rides. White called back and told the emergency dispatcher that she was okay.
The WSJ says six of these calls came from people at the amusement park. From another garden near Chicago, Apple devices also sent out crash alerts.
The calls are giving responders more work to do. “We pay very close attention to calls. “Every call is checked,” a government official told WSJ. “Dispatchers get used to getting calls that aren’t emergencies, but it’s hard on them.”
What other variants have this crash detection feature?
Apple’s iPhone 14 and Watch Series 8 have a feature that can detect crashes and rollovers involving pickup trucks, sedans, SUVs, and minivans. This feature also works on the iPad Pro.
When the devices sense that they have been hit, they automatically flash an “Emergency Call” button. Users can decide whether or not to make the call. But if they don’t answer after 20 seconds, the devices will call the police.
Complaints about the false alerts
You can turn off Apple’s crash detection feature, so it doesn’t send false alerts.
AppleInsider says that the feature uses onboard sensors and a vast amount of crash data to figure out if it has been in a car accident or not. Even though the system has been trained, rollercoasters could be its weak spot.
There have been several calls to the Warren County Communications Center about crashed iPhones.
How did it report to the officials?
The report said some were caused by people riding roller coasters at King Island, an amusement park near Cincinnati.
There are also problems at Six Flags Great America near Chicago, where alerts have been sounded a few times.
A spokesperson for Apple told the report that the technology gives people peace of mind and that work will keep going to make it better.
