Apple has introduced its latest iPhones and the Watch Series 8 with the ability to send an automatic call to emergency services when the device suddenly stops, usually due to a car accident.
The feature is now failing, as a US ski town received 71 accident notifications, The Colorado sun reported. According to the Summit County 911 Center, none of these automated calls were emergencies: skiers simply stopped abruptly on the slopes without needing medical attention.
The “crash detection” and “drop detection” feature on the iPhone 14 series automatically calls emergency services. The emergency center then calls back the phone, and if the caller doesn’t answer, they have theoretically been involved in an accident, which means an emergency vehicle must be dispatched.
According to Trina Dummer, acting director of the Summit County 911 center, these calls involve “a tremendous amount of resources, from dispatchers to deputies to ski patrols,” but none of them were truly emergency events. Dispatchers are fielding these automated calls on snowy hills and slopes, meaning they are being diverted from an actual emergency that could save someone’s life.
Dispatchers in Grand County, Vail Police Department and Pitkin County each receive about 20 rogue calls a day. They try to call each other back, but skiers often have phones in the pockets of their multi-layered clothing and can’t answer, sending rescuers to the iPhone’s last known location. Rescuers rarely turn down these calls for help because they can’t tell what an emergency is.
Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said Apple responded to dispatch supervisors, revealing it was aware of the conflict between skiers and crash detection technology, and the Cupertino team is working on a resolution.
Start a new Thread