Riding an Amusement Ride with iPhone 14 Leads to 'Ambulance Dispatch'... Due to Collision Detection Feature?

Latest iPhone Detects Accident Risk and Alerts 911
New Feature First Introduced in This Model Receives Mixed Reviews

The recently released new model from Apple, the iPhone 14, is equipped with a crash detection feature that automatically connects to 911 in emergencies. Photo by Apple Korea

[Asia Economy Reporter Bora Lee] In the United States, a recent incident occurred where the latest iPhone detected a risk of accident and automatically called 911, causing emergency responders to be dispatched only to leave without any action.

According to the Wall Street Journal on the 9th (local time), Sarah White, a dentist in her 30s, received dozens of confirmation calls from 911 responders after visiting Kings Island amusement park in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her family last month.

White boarded a roller coaster holding her iPhone 14 Pro, which she had purchased just two days earlier. The roller coaster ran at a speed of 80 km/h at an altitude of 33 meters, and later when White checked her phone, she was surprised to find multiple missed calls asking if she was okay and voice messages from emergency responders inquiring about her condition.

The problem arose from carrying Apple’s new iPhone 14 Pro in her pocket while riding the amusement ride. Six automatic emergency calls from the iPhone were received, prompting actual 911 responders to be dispatched to the theme park.

The iPhone’s crash detection feature misinterpreted the roller coaster’s intense movements as an accident. It then contacted 911, repeatedly stating that "the owner of this iPhone has been involved in a serious car crash and is not answering the phone." The device also transmitted sounds from the roller coaster ride, cheers, and amusement park music that were present while White was on the ride.

Upon receiving the alert, 911 immediately dispatched responders to the amusement park, but the responders found no emergency situation on site. White only realized what had happened when she was waiting in line to ride bumper cars and quickly called 911 to say she was fine.

The crash detection feature was first introduced in the iPhone 14 series released last month. When a crash is detected, a warning appears on the screen for 10 seconds, accompanied by an alarm sound and a 10-second countdown. Afterward, the phone calls 911, delivers a message, and provides GPS information.

Regarding this, the media outlet commented, "Apple’s feature is a very important safety function, but the criteria for the system to recognize the severity of a crash situation are ambiguous," adding, "While Apple’s feature has proven helpful in actual emergencies, it can also cause false alarms like the recent 911 call from a roller coaster ride."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.