Apple has announced a new batch of iPhones under 14 monicker. There’s also a new Apple Watch, along with the latest A16 Bionic chip, iOS 16, and watchOS 9 – but that’s not why you read about mobile gadgets on car-focused websites.
Along with these new Apple devices, the Cupertino-based company announced that the latest versions of the iPhone and Watch now come with car crash detection. This means that if the device has detected that the user has been in a serious car accident, they will automatically notify contacts and emergency services if the user does not respond to the screen prompts within 10 seconds.
The new security features are available across the iPhone 14 lineup (iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max), as well as on the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE, and the all-new Apple Watch Ultra.
Crash Detection works by leveraging the device’s three capabilities. The barometer detects changes in cabin pressure, while GPS adds feedback about changes in speed. Microphones, on the other hand, can recognize loud noises typical of a car crash.
Meanwhile, the more powerful gyroscope and accelerometer in the Apple Watch – claimed to have the highest dynamic range accelerometer in any smartwatch – is also used.
From release:
To build the algorithm, data was collected from these new motion sensors in a professional crash test laboratory with common passenger cars in simulated real-world crashes, including head-on, rear-end, side-impact and rollover.
Additionally, Apple says that “Apple-designed advanced motion algorithms trained with more than a million hours of real-world driving and crash record data provide greater accuracy.”
When used together, Apple says that an emergency notification will appear on the watch because it is most likely to be near the user, whereas an emergency call will be made by phone.
The new Apple iPhone 14 range, along with the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch SE will be available for purchase starting September 16.
