Apple plans ‘Crash Detection’ for iPhones and Apple Watch

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A prototype of what the feature may look like. Via: WSJ

In 2022, Apple plans to roll out a product feature called “crash detection” for iPhones and Apple Watches who are in a car accident that will allow their devices to dial 911 automatically, The Wall Street Journal reports citing documents and people familiar with the feature.

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Crash detection uses data from sensors built into Apple devices including the accelerometer to detect car accidents as they occur, for instance by measuring a sudden spike in gravity, or “g,” forces on impact.

Apple introduced a fall-detection feature in its smartwatch several years ago that senses when wearers have taken a hard fall and dials 911 if they don’t respond to a notification asking if they are OK. The company this year added a feature to the newest version of its iPhone operating system that assesses the walking steadiness of users.

Apple has been testing the crash-detection feature in the past year by collecting data shared anonymously from iPhone and Apple Watch users, the documents show. Apple products have already detected more than 10 million suspected vehicle impacts, of which more than 50,000 included a call to 911.

Apple has been using the 911 call data to improve the accuracy of its crash-detection algorithm, since an emergency call associated with a suspected impact gives Apple more confidence that it is indeed a car crash, according to the documents.

The documents don’t specify how Apple users are sharing information with the company so it can test its new crash-detection algorithm.

Via: The Wall Street Journal