Crash Detection is a valuable new safety feature introduced with the iPhone 14 and the new Apple Watch Ultra, Series 8, and SE 2 models. Although Apple uses all-new hardware, an advanced algorithm, and over a million hours of crash data, false alarms are still possible. Now it turns out that roller coasters have caused a number of false automated emergency calls by triggering Apple's crash detection.
As Joanna Stern from Wall Street Journal and Coaster101 report, amusement parks in the US have noticed a trend in recent weeks that comes from customers with an iPhone 14 or a new Apple Watch. At Kings Island, the park's roller coasters have falsely triggered accident detection at least six times. Another amusement park, Dollywood, has documented the problem so frequently that signs have been put up asking people not to take the devices on the rides or to turn them off. Interestingly, some unofficial tests on YouTube and Co. have failed to trigger the safety feature.
Apple: “Accident detection is extremely accurate”
But now it's been confirmed that roller coasters have the crucial features to trick the algorithm, which takes into account G-force measurements, pressure changes, GPS/speed changes, and loud noises. An Apple spokesperson told Joanna Stern that crash detection is "extremely accurate when it comes to detecting serious crashes" and that the company has optimized it to help users without causing false alarms. When asked whether roller coasters can trick the feature, the spokesperson replied that "the technology ensures safety, and Apple will continue to improve it over time." Airplane mode is currently the best way to temporarily disable crash detection if you're on a roller coaster and don't want to/can't hand over your device. (Photo by BreizhAtao / Bigstockphoto)
