A glitch in the new iPhone is causing the device to automatically call emergency responders on behalf of users riding rollercoasters.
The crash detection in the iPhone 14 is supposed to alert authorities if a user has gotten into a car accident but cannot call for help themselves. Users have 20 seconds to respond to the emergency notification before the device reaches out to 911 and emergency contacts.
The feature has worked as it was designed, alerting police to a deadly crash in Nebraska, for instance.
But the feature is also reportedly calling 911 for users on amusement park rides.
In one glitch, first responders rushed to the Kings Island amusement park just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, only to find that the call had been accidentally triggered by someone riding a rollercoaster, the Wall Street Journal reported. Park authorities said there were six cases in which a new iPhone’s crash detection feature triggered the dispatching of 911 calls.
Similar cases have been reported at other amusement parks, including a Six Flags Great America near Chicago. While riding the park’s Joker rollercoaster, Marcus Nguyen received several notifications that asked if he had been involved in an accident, the Wall Street Journal reported.
“I was still strapped into the ride, and I couldn’t get to [my phone]. Finally, I was able to get to it before the countdown had finished,” Nguyen told WSJ.
Others have reported that the crash detection will activate if the phone is dropped while driving, even when no crash occurs.
Experts say that it makes sense that the crash detection feature would alert authorities while users are on a rollercoaster, as signs of a crash include abrupt stops and sudden deceleration.
But, overall, officials say that the best way to prevent the feature from accidentally calling 911 is to turn the phone on airplane mode while riding coasters, according to ABC7 New York. Users could also not ride amusement attractions with a phone at all.
A spokesperson for Apple said that the company will continue to improve the feature.
