Apple’s Crash Detection and Fall Detection feature, introduced with the iPhone 14, Apple Watch 8, and Apple Watch Ultra, is problematic for emergency services. The rapid acceleration, sudden stops, and sharp turns common in skiing are being mistaken by the devices for car crashes, leading to the automatic dialing of emergency services. Despite updates aimed at reducing false alerts, the issue persists.
In January, 185 incorrect crash detection calls were received in Summit County alone. These calls not only consume limited resources but could also desensitize dispatchers, warns Trina Dummer, the emergency services director. Apple has been urged to establish its own call center.
Skiing presents a much more challenging problem than the previous rollercoaster trigger, as skiers behave more like drivers than rollercoaster passengers. With an average speed of 20 to 40 mph for recreational skiers, it is harder to differentiate a real crash from a skiing turn. The sound made by the device before alerting emergency services is also harder to hear on a ski slope, where participants wear helmets and thick clothing. Blacklisting calls from GPS coordinates for ski slopes could prevent actual accidents from getting attention.
In response, ski slopes have erected signs instructing users to update their software, while emergency services have deprioritized automated calls from Apple devices. Although this has not resulted in any overlooked emergencies, Apple is hoped to refine its algorithms to resolve the issue. Crash Detection and Fall Detection are essential features that have already saved lives and it would be unfortunate if they were shut down due to false alerts.
