iPhone 14’s crash detection feature hates roller coasters
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(Pocket-lint) – The brand-new iPhone 14’s crash detection feature is so sensitive that it keeps being triggered when people ride on roller coasters, calling emergency services as a result.
The feature is designed by Apple to detect when someone is involved in a car crash and is built into every iPhone 14, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch Ultra. But, as people in one particular theme park are finding out, it can be too good at detecting high-speed jolts – just like the ones riders experience on roller coasters.
“The Warren County Communications Center provided me with recordings of six iPhone crash-detection calls from people at Kings Island rides, all received since the new iPhone 14 models went on sale in September,” says Joanna Stern, reporting for the Wall Street Journal. The report goes on to detail various examples of mis-placed emergency calls, including one dentist whose iPhone 14 Pro placed the call while riding the Mystic Timers roller coaster at speeds of more than 50mph.
In that instance, the iPhone’s owner didn’t realise what was happening until after emergency services had arrived at the scene, expecting to find someone in need of asssitance. She later called back to confirm she was OK, but by then it was too late.
The report notes that similar calls have been placed by the people riding the Joker roller coaster at Six Flags Great America near Chicago. Apple told the WSJ that crash detection is “extremely accurate in detecting severe crashes,” although it clearly isn’t without its false positives. Ultimately, Apple may prefer that calls be placed when they aren’t needed rather than the other way around.
Writing by Oliver Haslam. Editing by Rik Henderson.
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