Some iPhone 14 users say the crash detection feature has triggered false alarms and called 911 during rollercoaster rides or after a phone drop while driving

Apple's crash detection for the iPhone 14 and new Apple Watch models can alert 911 and emergency contacts in the event of a collision.

Wall Street Journal 2022-10-10 Joanna Stern

Context & Ripple Effects

Apple had been preparing crash detection for iPhones and Watches as an automatic 911-calling feature, extending its earlier location-sharing integration with first responders. The iPhone 14 reports are an early real-world test of that safety promise outside an actual collision.

The issue sits alongside Apple’s broader rollout of Watch and iPhone safety features, which had been presented in marketing focused on emergency calling and crash detection. Later coverage of emergency operators receiving false calls from Apple devices shows the concern reaching beyond isolated user complaints.

First-order effects

iPhone 14 owners encountering rollercoaster forces or a dropped phone while driving can trigger unwanted 911 calls and alerts to their emergency contacts.
Emergency dispatchers receive automated calls associated with events that users describe as non-emergencies, while Apple’s crash-detection feature faces an accuracy problem at launch.

Second-order effects

Apple’s emergency-response integration becomes harder to judge solely by whether it activates: false-positive handling becomes material to both users and public-safety operators.
The later reports of calls from skiers and other fitness enthusiasts indicate that high-motion activities, not only rollercoaster rides, become a practical operating constraint for Apple’s device safety features.

Third-order effects

As phones and watches automate contact with emergency services, product safety claims increasingly depend on calibration that protects users without shifting avoidable call volume onto dispatch systems.
The pattern points toward more accountable orchestration of device-to-emergency-service links, where usefulness is measured by both detection coverage and false-alarm burden.

The trend: Consumer-device safety is moving from passive alerts to automated emergency escalation, making false-positive control central to public-safety integration.

Discussion

@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
Since the iPhone 14 went on sale, the 911 dispatch center near Kings Island amusement park has received at least six phones calls saying: “The owner of this iPhone was in a severe car crash...” Except, the owner was just on a roller coaster. 🆕 by me: https://www.wsj.com/... https…
@tunguz Bojan Tunguz on x
Just like with any other predictive model, there will be false positives. Apple released car-crash detection. Now roller coasters and dropped iPhones are triggering 911 calls, writes @JoannaStern @WSJ https://www.wsj.com/...
@digiphile Alex Howard on x
This is likely to keep happening. Could @apple tweak update to make calling 911 after crash detection off by default, @tim_cook? https://www.macrumors.com/... Could you replace the calculator or add an other icon to toggle Emergency services off/on? https://twitter.com/... https:…
@david_slotnick @david_slotnick on x
Seems like an easy fix with geofencing! https://twitter.com/...
@jodiecongirl Jodi Beggs on x
today in AI, still don't think the robots are coming for my job any time soon https://twitter.com/...
@stevemoser Steve Moser on x
I wonder why Crash Detection only happens on rollercoasters at King's Island. Is it more likely the specific design of that rollercoaster or is the GPS of the iPhone 14 detecting that it is near a road? https://twitter.com/...
@rachelmetz Rachel Metz on x
Oh shit https://twitter.com/...
@rsgnl Joe Rossignol on x
I rode the three biggest rollercoasters at Canada's Wonderland a week ago (Leviathan, Behemoth, and Yukon Striker) and none triggered Crash Detection on my iPhone 14 Pro. YMMV, I guess! https://twitter.com/...
@somospostpc Alex Barredo on x
two main theories this wasn't reported when Pixel phones introduced the feature https://www.wsj.com/... 1) the Pixel feature is better calibrated 2) nobody uses a Pixel in a 300 km radius from Cincinnati
@tehjh Jann Horn on x
prediction: phones are going to have a locally stored list with the gps bounds of all the amusement parks, for Safety Reasons https://twitter.com/...
@ankushdharkar Ankush Dharkar on x
Okay then 🎢 https://www.theverge.com/...
@bruceqburke Bruce Burke on x
When you consider that I flew to MI, hired demolition-derby driver & totaled some cars so I could test the feature with the new #iPhone 14 & @Apple #Watch Series 8, Ultra & SE. You know what would have been a lot easier? Driving to @SixFlags in New Jersey! https://www.wsj.com/...
@stevekovach Steve Kovach on x
Great one from @JoannaStern. iPhone 14s are confusing roller coasters for car crashes and calling 911. https://www.wsj.com/...
@tomwarren Tom Warren on x
omg Apple's new car-crash detection is making iPhones call 911 while their owners are on a rollercoaster 🎢 https://twitter.com/...
@chrisalbon Chris Albon on x
Edge cases are gonna get you https://twitter.com/...
@scottgustin Scott Gustin on x
Matterhorn reopens on Thursday. 😬 https://twitter.com/...
@gartenberg Michael Gartenberg on x
Law of unintended consequences https://twitter.com/...
@evan_greer Evan Greer on x
won't catch me buying a phone that calls the cops all by itself https://twitter.com/...
@kennwhite Kenn White on x
*snortle* https://twitter.com/...
@reckless Nilay Patel on x
Omg https://twitter.com/...

Chronicles