Apple's iPhone 14 has a new Crash Detection safety feature that is triggering false 911 calls from amusement park rollercoasters.

Jimmie Johnson Reporter

iPhone feature triggers false 911 calls from rollercoasters

Oct 10, 2022

Jimmie Johnson Reporter

By Jimmie Johnson (Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer)

A new safety feature on Apple’s iPhone 14 is meant to alert authorities when a user has been in a car crash. But a glitch is causing the feature to be triggered on rollercoasters.

It’s happening across the country. According to the Wall Street Journal, Cincinnati authorities fielded six emergency calls from amusement parks since the Crash Detection feature was released last month. The twists, turns and hard-braking rollercoasters, or hard crashing bumper cars, can trigger 911 calls and prompt emergency response.

After Apple rolled out Crash Detection with its new iPhone 14 and Watch Series 8, the feature made headlines. It detected and alerted authorities to a fatal car crash in Nebraska. Now it is facing a flaw that triggers false 911 calls.

To avoid the glitch, Apple says users should put their phones on airplane mode or disable the Crash Detection feature in settings before hitting the rides.

Tags: apple, iPhone

JIMMIE JOHNSON: A NEW SAFETY FEATURE ON APPLE’S IPHONE 14 IS MEANT TO ALERT AUTHORITIES YOU’VE BEEN IN A CAR CRASH — BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYS IT HAS A GLITCH.

IT DIALS 9-1-1 PROMPTING EMERGENCY RESPONSE AT AMUSEMENT PARKS.

SINCE ITS RELEASE, AUTHORITIES IN CINCINNATI HAVE RECEIVED SIX EMERGENCY CALLS TRIGGERED BY THE TWISTS, TURNS, AND THE HARD BREAKING OF A ROLLERCOASTER.
THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING IN OTHER ENTERTAINMENT PARKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

APPLE ROLLED OUT CRASH DETECTION WITH ITS NEW IPHONE 14 AND WATCH SERIES 8 LAST MONTH. WHILE IT DID RECENTLY HELP DETECT AND ALERT AUTHORITIES ABOUT A FATAL CRASH IN NEBRASKA, THE FEATURE CLEARLY HAS FLAWS.

APPLE SAYS THE CRASH DETECTION IS ON BY DEFAULT. SO, BEFORE YOU GET ON A ROLLER COASTER OR JUMP IN A BUMPER CAR, PUT YOUR PHONE ON AIRPLANE MODE OR DISABLE THE FEATURE IN SETTINGS TO LIMIT THE RISK OF FALSE 911 CALLS.