The iPhone 14 retains calling 911 on rollercoasters

The iPhone 14’s new Crash Detection function, which is meant to alert authorities when it detects you’ve been in a automobile accident, has an sudden aspect impact: it dials 911 on rollercoasters. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the function has had legislation enforcement despatched to amusement parks on quite a few events after mistaking a thrill trip’s twists, turns, and laborious braking for an actual emergency.

Apple rolled out Crash Detection with its new iPhone 14, Watch Series 8, SE, and Ultra final month, equipping the units with a gyroscopic sensor and high-g accelerometer educated on the impression skilled with simulated car crashes. If the sensors detect that you just’ve been in an accident, your iPhone will show an alert and name emergency companies for those who don’t dismiss it inside 20 seconds.

When it calls legislation enforcement, it can play an audio message that alerts authorities you’ve been in a crash, and likewise supplies them together with your location. (An Apple Watch with Crash Detection can solely notify authorities if in case you have your iPhone with you, or if it’s linked to a cell community or Wi-Fi.)

Well, that’s precisely what a number of customers’ Apple units did, however on the unsuitable time. In a tweet, WSJ reporter Joanna Stern shares an instance of one of many 911 calls positioned whereas an iPhone 14’s proprietor was strapped to a rollercoaster at Cinninatti’s Kings Island amusement park. As the automated message performs, you may hear muffled screams within the background because the rollercoaster runs its course.

Stern says Warren County, the place Kings Island is situated, acquired six emergency calls triggered by park rides for the reason that iPhone 14’s launch. She additionally factors out that different customers have skilled comparable points in amusement parks throughout the nation. Bringing smartphones on rides isn’t actually a sensible thought to start with, however the danger of false 911 calls could be all of the extra cause to go away the iPhone 14 (and different units) behind earlier than getting in that bumper automobile.