- False alarms by Apple’s iPhone 14 series’ Crash Detection feature are causing issues in Japan.
- Fire stations near ski resorts are reporting an increase in automated calls for help.
- It is possible to disable the feature, but firefighters can’t ask users to turn it off.
False alarms generated by Apple’s iPhone 14 series’ Crash Detection feature are causing issues in Japan, with fire stations near ski resorts receiving more emergency calls than usual as a result of the automated calls.
According to AppleInsider, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry has issued a warning to smartphone users about crash-detecting technologies in smartphones and other devices, citing an increase in automated attempts to contact help when it is not necessary.
The Kita-Alps Nagano Fire Department, which serves five municipalities in Nagano prefecture, has been dealing with this issue.
According to the report, 919 emergency calls were made between December 16, 2022, and January 23, 2023, of which 134 were false calls, with the majority being prompted by crash detection within a skiing area.
Similarly, from January 1 to January 23, the Gujo City Fire Department in Gifu Prefecture received 351 emergency calls, 135 of which were false alarms.
It is possible to disable the feature, but one firefighter noted that “we can’t ask users to turn it off” because it is an effective tool in cases where a serious accident has occurred.
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