iPhone 14's Crash Detection Mistaking Roller Coaster Rides for Car Crashes

[SnappleRumors]

So it's the user's fault the software doesn't work right? Ah yes, personal responsibility, but only if it's not a huge company at fault, gotcha..

Sounds to me it is working as designed but the app can not be used for every possible situation.
Hence airplane mode and switching it off when in an amusement park. Yeah. Personal responsibility so the user has control.

 

[MisterSavage]

For Universal, they do have certain extreme rides (not all of their coasters, just some) where they do not allow any devices, to the point where they provide secure lockers, that are free for short usage and lock/unlock by fingerprint, and you have to pass through a metal detector to ride. The reason for this is from a real injury, years back an item (I'm pretty sure a phone) fell out of someone's pocket and hit someone else in the face, causing them to lose an eye.

It was the Dueling Dragons coaster in Orlando.

Depends on the coaster. Jurassic Park Velocicoaster at Universal made us take everything out of our pockets and put it into lockers. We even had to go through a metal detector.

But other coasters at the same park didn't have this requirement.

It probably depends on specific ride factors like how likely it is for an ejected object to hit another rider or spectator.

I need to ride Velocicoaster. It looks great.

I can't remember which ride at Universal, but there were those coin op lockers right at the queue point. I think some people took it as a warning sign, and some likely got more excited. It's by far not the kind of thing that I've ever seen directly at any ride before. Maybe it was just coincidence, but interesting.

It's actually several rides where they have lockers for you to stash your stuff before riding.

 

[SnappleRumors]

Yeah dude. All those things are considered loose objects. It's up to the park to decide if their coasters are hardcore enough to require your putting them in lockers while on the ride.

What about my glass eye? Do I put that in the locker too?

 

[Ankaa]

Personal responsibility

But, but, but, it's sooooo much easier and comfortable to bash Apple for an alleged *obvious* oversight because obviously we're sooooo much smarter than Apple and they obviously never know what they're doing and are such a failure since Jobs died 11 years ago.

 

[darngooddesign]

What about my glass eye? Do I put that in the locker too?

Nice try at a gotcha. Why don't you call a theme park with such a policy and ask them.

Loose things in your pockets are considered loose objects, and different parks have different policies about loose objects on their rides.

 

[contacos]

What crappy park has that? I'd never leave my cell sit amongst tons of strangers

Most instances I would take a rollercoaster are actually not at a proper park but some saisonal summer / winter fairs in city X or Y instead (like Oktoberfest). In those cases it’s usually like either „at your own risk“ or have someone wait for you, holding your stuff, while u take the ride

 

[SnappleRumors]

Nice try at a gotcha. Why don't you call a theme park with such a policy and ask them.

Loose things in your pockets are considered loose objects, and different parks have different policies about loose objects on their rides.

I don’t care what the park rule is. The rider can store the device if they want or switch off crash mode or go home. It’s that simple. They are in control.

 

[dk001]

Why would you leave your stuff with a stranger when you can put it in a locker?

What locker? Are they convenient?

Case in point: Went to Six Flags Magic Mountain (Santa Clarita Ca - sadly it has since been sold) and the only lockers in operation were at the entrance to the park. Not really a doable option considering they take Apple Pay for just about everything, then the selfies, the ad hoc shots, the etc... not to mention the locker location.

Anyway, most folks when I was there last had their phones in hand or pocket and not in a locker.

Either way Apple will likely have a software fix for this.
Growing pains.

 

[geartau]

When WSJ tested it in junkyard and found that the crash detection did not work, an Apple Spokesperson said that " It wasn't connected to Bluetooth or CarPlay, which would have indicated the car was in use, and the vehicles might not have traveled enough distance prior to the crash to indicate driving. Had the iPhone received those extra indicators—and had its GPS shown the cars were on a real road—the likelihood of an alert would have been greater, he said." So, how did the rollercoaster trigger a crash warning even though the phone was not connected to airplay or satisfy the extra indicators to indicate driving? Was the Spokesperson talking fibbing when he spoke to WSJ?

wsj did get it to trigger twice. even WSJ explained

If you’re in a severe car crash, your iPhone or Watch can help.

The key word is “severe.”

if it's not severe, bluetooth and location are looked at as an indicator. roller coasters don't need bluetooth to make the watch consider the movement as severe.

 

[darngooddesign]

I think the devs are upset they didn't think to make Apple pay for them riding roller coasters all day... for research.

I don’t care what the park rule is. The rider can store the device if they want or switch off crash mode or go home. It’s that simple. They are in control.

You have to care what the rule is to determine if you want to put your loose objects in a locker, not ride that ride, or go home.

 

[Solver]

Apple could include a "feature" that if you have a serious car crash near a theme park your iPhone ignores it.

 

[Kirkster]

The OnStar in my 2019 Corvette Z06 Convertible has never has a false positive crash detection and I do put my Corvette thru its paces. I my opinion I think your sources of information are misinformation and total BS.

You have some links to your track day footage? I can easily post a bunch of links to track day footage where this has occurred, and one where it did not, of course the battery probably left the car in that case…

 

[anthony13]

I don’t care what the park rule is. The rider can store the device if they want or switch off crash mode or go home. It’s that simple. They are in control.

Not taking a stance but I believe the reason parks ask you to remove loose objects is a safety concern for other people who may be passing under the coaster and be hit by a stray iPhone flying through the air at undetermined velocities.

 

[rjw1678]

You have some links to your track day footage? I can easily post a bunch of links to track day footage where this has occurred, and one where it did not, of course the battery probably left the car in that case…

Videos can be deepfake and therefore MISINFORMATION. I know what my personal experience is.

 

[robertmorris2]

I had to stop riding coasters. It felt like I was in an accident every time I rode one. Nausea & vomiting, headaches for days afterwards.

 

[SnappleRumors]

I think the devs are upset they didn't think to make Apple pay for them riding roller coasters all day... for research.


You have to care what the rule is to determine if you want to put your loose objects in a locker, not ride that ride, or go home.

Not taking a stance but I believe the reason parks ask you to remove loose objects is a safety concern for other people who may be passing under the coaster and be hit by a stray iPhone flying through the air at undetermined velocities.

I’m all for the rider deciding to store it or not. I don’t see it necessary for Apple having to kludge the code for an amusement park. The responsibility is on the owner.

 

[dba415]

Wonder if the Pixel, which has had crash detection for a few years now, has this similar issue.

 

[Jan-munich]

Let’s create a problem for an existing solution.. mandated by 2018 many implemented this since 2015 or earlier.

eCall 112-based emergency assistance from your vehicle - Your Europe

eCall is an automated 112-based emergency assistance from your vehicle in case of serious accident. EU-wide 112 emergency assistance mandatory for all new car models approved for manufacture after 31 March 2018.

europa.eu

I guess someone at Apple just had way to much fun playing with accelerometer data and classifiers.. yet not
With rollercoasters 🎢🤭

It’s somehow the same great idea like selling esim only phones in the US as well as waiting to the last minute to replace the lightning connector on iPhones in 2024 but doing so on iPads in 2018 and talking about compability and the environment removing the chargers by making shipping palettes fit more iPhones.. the most weird thing on a keynote ever - don’t you think.

And before someone comes up again and blames against EU regulations, I’m looking forward to get my future iPhone with ESim AND physical sim slot and USBC, so I can use one USBC charging brick and one cable for laptop iPad and iPhones..

Curious if Apple keeps its lightning connector around on US phones quite a little longer than in the EU - if revenue and production cost wise it makes sense for them most likely will - in particular on the SE lineup etc..

I was always a fan of getting the US devices due to mmWave comp etc. but since the ESim only now is in place
on iPhone 14 pro no way getting an US version.

There are countries eg. in Africa where you will not be able to get an ESim easily or at all and you’re happy having a data plan to get connected to your family in addition to your default national ESim.

I would prefer they spend more time in fixing the bugs in IOS 16 than spending time on a classification etc. Since I updated my 12 pro often my screen rotation is broken, mail stutters and hangs, amongst many others issues and laggy interfaces.

 

[dkh587]

maybe they can add a feature where you long press the airplane mode button and select “roller coaster mode”

 

[Kirkster]

Videos can be deepfake and therefore MISINFORMATION. I know what my personal experience is.

No one bothers to deepfake their track day videos. But Ok…

 

[TheWatchfulOne]

So, a roller coaster will trigger the crash detection? As a coaster enthusiast, I'd like to know which one? Or was it the Crash Test Dummies ride at Walt Disney World?

And why is there no mention of bumper cars in this story. Since bumper cars are the ride actually simulates a crash?

 

[BobSc]

I had to stop riding coasters. It felt like I was in an accident every time I rode one. Nausea & vomiting, headaches for days afterwards.

You should get this checked with a neurologist. Things to consider: leaking aneurysm, subarachnoid or subdural bleeding, etc. MRI for sure.

 

[BobSc]

And why is there no mention of bumper cars in this story. Since bumper cars are the ride actually simulates a crash?

Are you implying that the sudden changes in g forces with a bumper car compare to those of a roller coaster?

 

[Beautiful Opinion]

This issue is a good sign that this feature is legit and not some BS.

 

[dampfnudel]

As a software developer, you should always think about edge cases when developing a new feature. And rollercoasters should have been an obvious one. I guess that the last 3 remaining smart devs at Apple were all working on the dynamic island.

This is a pointless feature that I will disable as soon as I get my 14 pro. Most likely when you’re having an accident, other drivers will see you and dial 911. Like it already happens.

If you decide to disable it, I hope you don’t crash in a remote area because the wildlife there won’t be calling for you. They’ll just laugh and think good, another one of those destructive humans gone.