During the last months, the new function “Crash Detection” or “Crash Detection” of the iPhone 14 It has been in the news due to the large number of false positives that have flooded 911 call centers (in the United States). To help and correct these types of errors, Apple says that yesterday’s release of iOS 16.3.1 includes new optimizations for one of the features announced as a star at the launch of the device.
Recently, a post on The New York Times featured a handful of stories about Crash Detection being falsely activated by skiers in Colorado. This report was particularly harsh, with quotes from early emergency responders expressing frustration with how false positives for the iPhone 14 were affecting their ability to do their jobs properly.
Some carriers have even gone so far as to ask iPhone users to turn off crash detection entirely. due to the influx of these false positives. This functionality has also been falsely activated on roller coasters, leading some amusement parks to put up signs asking riders to put down their iPhones before entering the rides.
At the same time, however, Crash Detection has already helped save the lives of several iPhone 14 users who were actually involved in a real car accident. Apple has had to search and find a difficult balance between making sure the feature correctly detects real car accidents and minimizing false positives. And that’s what iOS 16.3.1 would achieve.
Crash Detection functionality on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro uses G-force sensors combined with other data collected by iPhone (such as loud sounds) to detect an accident. Apple has described it as a “pretty dynamic algorithm”, and has been working to refine that algorithm as it has learned more about this functionality applied in the real world.
With iOS 16.1.2, released last November, Apple included what it already described as “Crash Detection optimizations on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models.” This change was largely in response to early stories about Crash Detection being activated on roller coasters.
With the release of iOS 16.3.1, Apple has more changes identified and implemented for Crash Detection. However, those of Cupertino they are still not very specific on what has been fixed and how exactly. They indicate (again) in the update that “Crash Detection optimizations on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models” have been made.
Apple has also been collecting feedback from emergency centers affected by the false positives. The company has even sent engineers and other representatives to observe the affected teams. The hope is that iOS 16.3.1 will solve, or at least help fix many of the cases, the Crash Detection false positive issue. We will see if we do not have new reports in the short term.