iPhone 14's Crash Detection Mistaking Roller Coaster Rides for Car Crashes

The iPhone 14's Crash Detection feature is accidentally being triggered and therefore calling emergency services when users are riding a roller coaster rather than being involved in a real automotive accident.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, several users of the new iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro at amusement parks across the United States have reported emergency services and contacts being alerted that they've been involved in a car crash as they've ridden roller coasters. The accidental trigger of Apple's latest safety features is likely caused by the sudden braking and movement of roller coasters, triggering the iPhone's sensors to misinterpret the movement as a car crash.

The Wall Street Journal reports at least six incidents of emergency services being called for false alarms. In response to the false alarms, an Apple spokesperson said Apple tested the feature with over a million hours of car crash data and real-world driving analysis. Several tests have already been done to test the accuracy of the iPhone 14's Crash Detection, with varying results.

In response to a test done by The Wall Street Journal in a junkyard where the iPhone failed to notice some car crashes, Apple said the testing condition did not provide the iPhone with enough factors to trigger an alert. Apple said the iPhones were not connected to Bluetooth or CarPlay and may not have traveled enough distance before impact for the device to register the crash. Crash Detection is available on the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch Ultra.