Crash Detection, a new feature in Apple's iPhone 14 lineup of phones and new Apple Watch devices, is designed to be triggered in a car crash and help the phone's user call emergency services in case they're incapacitated Dropping the phone or falling will not cause the feature to work if you experience a crash, as Apple said when it launched the feature.
Crash Detection can be false if you bring your phone with you on a roller coaster.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, it has happened at Kings Island in Cincinnati and Six Flags in New Jersey. The phones placed calls to emergency services during the rides, with riders unable to do anything about it until the ride was over.
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The feature is likely to happen when the phone's sensors are tricked into thinking a crash has taken place. The feature is extremely accurate in detecting severe crashes, according to an Apple spokesman. Over time, Crash Detection will be improved by Apple.
Crash Detection has been proven to work in testing and in real life, even though it isn't perfect. A week ago, an Apple device detected the impact of a fatal car crash in a remote area near Lincoln, Nebraska.
It's troubling that false positives take precious time away from emergency responders.
Crash Detection getting triggered in amusement parks sounds like a problem that could be fixed with a software update. When we hear back, we'll update this story.
There are a few things you can do to stop it. At Kings Island, where some of the false positive emergency calls were placed, you can't take your phone on a roller coaster. If you have to take your phone with you on the ride, switch it to airplane mode so it won't be able to make a call.
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