Apple Collecting Feedback From Dispatchers Receiving False 911 Calls From Skiers

[Morgenland]

Yes, due to not being properly researched in the real world.

Have set you correct timecode.
Ron: We started by spending years studying vehicle impacts at state-of-the-art crash test labs […]. In each crash test we captured data […] machine learning [...] algorithm […] which was trained on over 1 million hours of real world driving in crash data...

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Have set you correct timecode.

It's pretty impressive. However, Apple just focused on vehicles not anything else. It looks like they only conducted the research on cars but nothing else and this is exactly why Apple is facing this problem. I have no doubt Apple will solve this issue in no time. Just wish Apple had tested this feature on Rollercoaster or while going out Sking.

 

[lovehateapple]

Very few have CarPlay.

Eventually all iphone users are going to have CarPlay. It's just a matter of time.

 

[Kissmo1980]

Also, why am I disabling a feature that’s not going to work properly in the first place?

Because when you go skiing, you are most likely going to fall and quite violently.
We cannot expect the phone or watch to think everything for us humans.

Humanity would really reach the point of dumbness once we stop using our heads.

 

[lovehateapple]

They should only make it detect crashes when connected to CarPlay.

That's not a bad idea. The only scenario I can think of where that might not work is if you're riding in someone else's vehicle, like a bus for example, or maybe the driver uses android or your phone isn't connected to the car's audio system. Or maybe a motorcyclist who doesn't have a CarPlay radio on his bike.

I still like your idea and think it would be an improvement over the current situation.

 

[lovehateapple]

Humanity would really reach the point of dumbness once we stop using our heads.

Perhaps we're already there, lol

 

[Morgenland]

Perhaps we're already there, lol

Idiocracy (2006) ⭐ 6.5 | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

1h 24m | R

www.imdb.com

unfortunately not available on Apple TV

 

[bluemutiny]

I was jokingly punched in the ribs inside a shop and got winded, my AW Ultra started the countdown for the emergency call under the crash detection opposed to fall detection - after that I turned it off. I've had the fall detection go off mostly for legitimate reasons but never though standing stationary inside a building and being mildly winded would make it think I had a high speed crash on a road...

 

[enterthemerdaverse]

Crash detection isn't about crash detection. It's about 24/7 spying and location tracking so Apple can give the info to the cops. Tim Cook should be in jail.

LMAO.

That would be a Tesla not a watch.

 

[mebehere]

Eventually all iphone users are going to have CarPlay. It's just a matter of time.

Um, doesn’t that all depend on your car? My Prius has knobs and stuff, which I like. The other day my radio display showed Japanese language for a couple minutes. Low tech and some weirdness.

 

[femike]

This is serious. There are people that are suffering from this half baked feature. Apple must withdraw the feature from general use immediately. It's not even close to ready. Would it take a documented death for Apple to withdraw this feature?

 

[philstubbington]

Emergency dispatch centers continue to complain about Apple's new Crash Detection feature triggering an influx of false 911 calls from skiers and snowboarders.

A report today from the New York Post notes that New York's Greene County and Pennsylvania's Carbon County have experienced a burdensome increase in false 911 calls from local ski resorts due to Crash Detection. The feature allows the latest iPhone and Apple Watch models to detect a severe car crash and automatically call emergency services if the user is unresponsive, but it is also activating when some skiers and snowboarders take a tumble.

Given that emergency dispatchers respond to all calls out of an abundance of caution, the influx in false alarms has put a strain on some call centers and could divert personnel and resources away from real emergencies. There have been several reports about the issue in other popular ski resort areas like Colorado, Minnesota, Utah, and British Columbia, Canada since Apple introduced the feature last year.

In response to the report, an Apple spokesperson told the Post that the company was collecting feedback from emergency call centers that have experienced an increase in automated 911 calls due to the feature, but declined to comment further.

Crash Detection is enabled by default on all iPhone 14 models and the latest Apple Watch models, including the Series 8, Ultra, and second-generation SE. When a crash is detected, the iPhone or Apple Watch displays an alert, which users have 10 seconds to act on. If the user is unresponsive, the device begins another 10-second countdown while sounding an alarm and vibrating/tapping, and then calls emergency services. Due to loud surroundings and thick outerwear, however, some users may be unaware that the feature was triggered.

Apple says the feature relies on sensors like the accelerometer and gyroscope in the iPhone and Apple Watch, along with "advanced Apple-designed motion algorithms trained with over a million hours of real-world driving and crash record data" for increased accuracy. As with rollercoasters, the iPhone and Apple Watch may be mistaking the abrupt movement of skiing and snowboarding as a car crash in some situations.

Apple released iOS 16.1.2 in late November with unspecified Crash Detection optimizations for iPhone 14 models, followed by watchOS 9.2 in mid-December with Apple Watch optimizations. It's unclear if these optimizations have led to a reduction in false 911 calls from skiers and snowboarders; in any case, it will likely take some time before all users update their iPhone or Apple Watch to the latest software versions.

Despite this issue, there have already been several reports about the life-saving feature alerting first responders to actual car crashes.

Article Link: Apple Collecting Feedback From Dispatchers Receiving False 911 Calls From Skiers

I have the same issue with my Garmin, although it’s contacting nominated contacts rather than 911/999/101.

Did it last Saturday when I was clapping 👏😂

 

[TheOldChevy]

As the feature is active by default, the cost of false calls management should be bear by Apple. Until it gets its system under control.

If the feature is activated by the user, then the user should get a warning when he switches it on. And then the costs should be bear by the user.

 

[philstubbington]

Um, doesn’t that all depend on your car? My Prius has knobs and stuff, which I like. The other day my radio display showed Japanese language for a couple minutes. Low tech and some weirdness.

Yes, although there are aftermarket CarPlay units you can fit.

 

[Jambalaya]

Not surprising at all. When I am skiing my phone is never easily accessible, deliberately tucked away. I'd add that the feature doesn't work on bike GPS units either for same reason so not just an Apple problem. If I fall off my mountain bike there is simply no way I can get to my phone in 20 seconds.

 

[contacos]

This feature should really be linked to the „drive“ Focus or any focus of your choosing but SOMETHING that requires user input

 

[philstubbington]

Not surprising at all. When I am skiing my phone is never easily accessible, deliberately tucked away. I'd add that the feature doesn't work on bike GPS units either for same reason so not just an Apple problem. If I fall off my mountain bike there is simply no way I can get to my phone in 20 seconds.

Same here. A pothole will do it!

 

[Pezimak]

This is what happens when you put secrecy first, PR second, and how the product actually works third. This could be a great idea, but Apple refused to test it in the real world because “secrecy,” and then went all-in on promoting it.

Yes, if they weren’t so secret they could have liaised with car manufactures or their suppliers on now they do it as modern cars have this feature. But as we know Apple doesn’t even allowed it’s own staff to know what they are working on.

IMO I think Apple should be fined for this, it doesn’t work and as I said could literally be costing lives of others who do need help, but can’t get it as the ambulance is racing to another Apple Watch false crash detection.

At the very least Apple should be analysing the date and working as a priority across the company on resolving the faulty software. Or turning it off etc.

 

[Pezimak]

Or you could look at the lives that it has saved and stop bringing up hypothetical situations. Just because resources were momentarily used doesn't mean that it cost lives and I'm not even sure how you would measure that impact considering a department isn't usually just responding to one thing at a time.

Not a very well thought out reply. Crash detection goes off cause you fall over skiing, you don’t realise your watch called the emergency services, next thing you know an Ambulance crew turns up and comes to your area where Apples GPS told them to go.. in that time frame someone’s had a heart attack and died due to not enough resources being available to reach them, or a real car crash occurred with the same result, or someone had an accident with the same result and so on and on.

It is not hypothetical at all, there are only so many ambulances etc available. People die everyday because they can’t reach everyone.

I suggest you read the story at source http://nypost.com/2023/01/14/apples-crash-detection-dials-911-when-skiers-take-a-tumble/

It states they have had a 15% to 25% increase in emergency calls as a direct result of Apples crash detection, and it is straining their resources and emergency crews DO attend some of them.

 

[cloudpusher]

But Apple doesn’t market that very well. They emphasize on it too much. Not many people out there know you can disable it unless you really look into it.

Also, why am I disabling a feature that’s not going to work properly in the first place?

Why should they market that a feature can be turned off? They did not assume the issues. The more interesting question would be the ratio between false alarms and positive ones, where someone got saved because of the feature. But no one seems to be interested in that.

 

[cloudpusher]

I’m not exactly sure what these dispatchers can possibly tell Apple…..

Yea... They can tell them how many calls were false alarms and how many were as intended. They can tell them how many calls they get and at what times and many more things relevant to troubleshoot the issue.

 

[addamas]

This feature should really be linked to the „drive“ Focus or any focus of your choosing but SOMETHING that requires user input

this, plus a switch in control center like we have for water lock in AW or Low power mode / flashlight on iPhones.
You are completely right, should be disabled by default and turned on demand by people for certain time - calendar item, focus time or set time.

 

[SAIRUS]

This sounds like another feature from the car project being thrown on the iPhone to test/recoup costs.

Thing is this time they really didn’t think about how a car crashes and a phone physically crashes….or they did and love getting data on it in production.

 

[baryon]

I'm no expert but I'd think that if a person continues moving after a "crash", then it could be assumed that they're okay? Seems like it would be an easy thing to detect. Or they could just automatically ignore crashes in ski resorts and theme parks, or anywhere where there isn't a road. Though to determine that, they probably insist on using Apple Maps... which does explain why this isn't working.

 

[cicalinarrot]

How about giving users an option to disable it?

Imagine being on a 5-minute roller coaster 🎢 ride and SOS gets activated while you are roller coasting. That can be terrifying! The emergency dispatcher might assume it's a Domestic Violence case.

A few months ago my uncle was on a rollercoaster. It was late, he was a tired. Next things he knows, a 1979 Buick Regal crashes into him. His watch called 911 and saved his life.
That's why you can't disable it, even on a rollercoaster.