How Crash Detection Works on iPhone and Apple Watch

iphone 14 crash detection

The iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9 both include a microphone that detects impact sounds, an accelerometer that detects fast deceleration, and a barometer that measures pressure changes typical with an airbag. If the other two sensors are on a coffee break, one of them will detect you've crashed.

The improved automobile crash detector on the Apple Watch Series 9 and iPhone 15 models recognizes when you've crashed and is ready to assist.

A 3-axis gyroscope and a high g-force accelerometer, in particular, allow the watch to sample motion at around 3,000 times per second, allowing it to feel the precise moment of contact, which means it may know you're in a vehicle accident before you do. According to Apple, this is all supported by an algorithm educated on millions of hours of accident data.

So it can recognize the difference between a car accident and the vibration when a door slamming too hard. If an accident takes place the alarm will sound and iPhone will vibrate.

If the driver remains unresponsive after a short countdown, it will connect to emergency services, at which time it will disclose your location and inform the emergency contacts you've designated.

No setup is required and Crash Detection is enabled by default.

Crash Detection can identify a variety of serious automobile accidents, including frontal collisions, side collisions, rear-end collisions, and rollovers.

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro's Emergency SOS function also allows users to call emergency services even if they are beyond the coverage area of a cellular carrier or Wi-Fi hotspot. The service are offered in the United States and Canada since November 2022. Now Emergency SOS via satellite is available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the U.K.

This video shows how Crash Detection tool can identify major automobile accidents and quickly inform emergency workers


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