iPhone 14: Apple reacts to false calls for help with accident detection

Emergency services in several regions have been complaining about the accident detection system of the iPhone 14 and the latest Apple Watches for a while now. The system automatically calls for help when an accident is detected. The problem is that there are a significant number of fake calls because the iPhone 14 detects an accident… which never happened.

An ongoing issue

The latest case comes from Summit County in Colorado in the United States, where several ski resorts are located. An emergency call person and a police officer have complained that responding to fake calls triggered by iPhones and Apple Watches is a time-consuming task that threatens to divert resources from legitimate emergencies.

“My whole day is devoted to managing accident notifications”, said Trina Dummer, acting director of Summit County Emergency Services, who received 185 such calls during the week of Jan. 13-22. In past winters, the typical call volume on a busy day was about half that number. Trina Dummer said the fake calls threatened to desensitize relief workers and divert scarce resources from real emergencies. Mark Watson, a sergeant with the local sheriff’s office, also said the situation was impacting his ability to perform his duties effectively.

An Apple spokesperson reacted to the New York Times to this story: “We have been informed that in some specific scenarios, these features have triggered emergency services when the user has not suffered a serious car accident or a sudden fall”. He added that Apple improved crash detection with iOS 16.1.2 on iPhone and watchOS 9.2 on Apple Watch in November. “Crash detection and fall detection are designed to provide users with help when they need it most, and have already helped save several lives”he added.