Apple is reportedly working on a new feature for its latest iPhone and Apple Watch models that detects if you’re involved in a car accident, and dials the emergency number automatically . The company’s current plan is to implement this function over the next year, according to the prestigious US economic daily The Wall Street Journal .
Google’s personal safety app on Pixel phones already includes a feature to call for help when the device detects collisions and traffic accidents, just as connected car services do in modern vehicles, including General Motors’ OnStar, Starlink from Subaru and Uconnect from Fiat Chrysler, among many others.
The device will automatically call emergency
Many cars today are not equipped with any road connectivity features , so getting accident detection on an iPhone also means that more drivers will be able to get the help they need in an accident as long as they have one in their pocket. or connected to your vehicle’s navigator.
The increase in the irresponsible and insecure use of mobile phones while driving gave way to the creation and implementation of integration systems such as CarPlay and Android Auto. The first, in fact, has already been included in almost 80% of newly manufactured vehicles during 2021, according to data provided by Apple.
Implementing a new accident detection feature on the iPhone in conjunction with CarPlay could reinforce Apple’s “IronHeart” project to connect your phone with your car’s setup in the same way that HomeKit fully controls speakers and lighting. automated and intelligent. What Apple intends is to progressively increase investment in this type of technology, until it reaches automobile giants such as General Motors, which each year invest around 2,000 million euros in polishing and improving it so that it offers more and more benefits and is more effective.
Just a few days after Apple’s announcement and the new functionality that it plans to include in its most modern devices, General Motors rushed to announce that the company is currently working on a new version of the OnStar application, which will carry the Guardian nickname. . The company revealed that this new feature brings the company’s accident detection and safety services to any vehicle, albeit with an attached service fee of 15 euros per month. Even so, the user has the option of enjoying a free trial period of one month.
While Apple’s crash detection software hasn’t always performed as expected, the company has had many years to collect data and analysis on iOS and watchOS users who have been using it non-stop. It remains to be seen how accurately Apple will be able to detect traffic accidents in urban areas and on the road. Many users have already complained that this crash detection function does not work properly.
