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Apple is planning a new feature for the iPhone and Apple Watch that will allow the devices to detect if a person is involved in a car accident and, if so, the devices can automatically make an emergency call in an emergency, according to a new report.
The Wall Street Journal wants experience have reported that Apple is working on "crash detection," which the company hopes to unveil as early as 2022. The feature would use the iPhone and Apple Watch's sensors, such as the accelerometer, to "detect car crashes as they happen" by measuring a sudden increase in gravity, better known as G-force, upon impact. The report states that Apple tested the feature last year by collecting anonymized data from iPhone and Apple Watch users. The devices are said to have already detected more than 10 million suspected car crashes. As with any feature in testing, the report notes that Apple could choose not to release it.
Automatic accident detection for iPhone & Apple Watch
Apple products have already detected more than 10 million suspected vehicle crashes, more than 50,000 of which included a 911 call. Apple has used the 911 call data to improve the accuracy of its crash detection algorithm, because a 911 call related to a suspected impact gives Apple more confidence that it was indeed an accident, the documents say.
The feature sounds similar to the fall detection on Apple Watch Series 4 and newer, which can detect whether the wearer has suffered a serious fall and automatically calls emergency services if they are not OK. If Apple does present the feature next year, it could appear as part of iOS 16 and watchOS 9 and support multiple device generations. (Photo by Eremin / Bigstockphoto)
