The iPhone 14 series was launched with a new feature, Crash Detection. The emergency function can save the user’s life in case of an accident, say a car crash. However, it seems that the Crash Detection system is causing inconvenience in Japan. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry has requested that smartphone owners exercise extra caution when utilizing the crash detection feature in their devices, as there has been a recent increase in the number of automated emergency calls in situations where help is not actually required.
Fire departments near skiing areas, such as the Fire Department of Kita-Alps Nagano and Gujo City Fire Department, have reported an increased number of emergency call-outs due to these false alarms. From December 16 to January 23, the Fire Department of Kita-Alps Nagano received 919 emergency calls, with 134 of them being false calls triggered by the Crash Detection feature in skiing areas. Similarly, Gujo City Fire Department received 351 emergency calls between January 1 and January 23, with 135 of them being false alarms.
The system, which is designed to detect falls and collisions while driving, skiing, or snowboarding, will initiate a countdown that leads to an emergency services call. However, users may not always be able to react in time to alerts preceding the call and prevent it from being made.
It is possible to turn off the feature, but since it can be an effective tool in cases of serious accidents, it would not be reasonable for users to disable it. In December 2022, a couple was in a car accident, and their rescue was assisted by Apple’s Crash Detection, demonstrating the feature’s prowess. Should your iPhone make a false emergency call, it would be helpful to inform the local fire department of the mistake. It is also worth noting that this issue is not exclusive to Japan. Other ski-related areas, such as Utah and Colorado, have also reported similar problems, and the feature has been triggered in other non-skiing-related events like riding a rollercoaster.
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(Source, Via)
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