Apple’s combination of accident detection and satellite communication built into the iPhone 14, 14 Pro, 14 Plus and 14 Pro Max was used in a serious vehicle accident in California to get rescuers to the scene of the accident. According to local authorities, this happened last week. The car had fallen into a ravine where there was no cell phone reception. It’s not the first time Apple’s distress call satellite has been used in a rescue operation; however, it is apparently the first known case in which accident detection and satellite radio interacted.
Fall into a canyon
As the Montrose Search & Rescue Team reports, it was an accident involving only one vehicle that appeared to have veered off the road. There are numerous dead spots in the Los Angeles County Eastern Canyons area. After the car slid about 100 meters into the gorge, the iPhone 14 of one of the occupants recognized a crash. The injured persons then used the instructions on the device to contact the Crescenta Valley Police Station using the 911 satellite radio. The then sent the Montrose Search & Rescue Team, the Rescue operation by helicopter had to perform.
The victims were very lucky. The use of the emergency call satellite radio function means that you can at least go outside to find the satellite. The iPhone must be held in the right direction. The user is then guided through an SMS-like dialog and the accident and location data is passed on to the authorities. During the accident, the system automatically switched to satellite radio because there was no reception in the gorge – otherwise the smartphone’s crash detection system would have contacted the authorities automatically.
First incident in Alaska
The first use of the emergency satellite radio function was in Alaska at the beginning of December. Here the feature helped a man who got stuck with a snowmobile in an inhospitable area. Using his iPhone, he transmitted his GPS coordinates via satellite to the Apple Emergency Response Center, which alerted the local authorities. Several search teams eventually found the man.
The emergency satellite radio is now working in six countries worldwide. In addition to the USA and Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom are also covered. Other world regions are to follow. After purchasing an iPhone 14, the function should be available free of charge for at least two years, later Apple wants to turn it into a paid service.
(bsc)
Tag: iphone design, iphone 14, apple iphone, iphone release