The new Apple Watch Series 8 features an improved gyroscope and accelerometer that can detect if you’re in a car crash. That was one of the many announcements out of Apple’s event this morning in Cupertino, where the company showcased its latest technical and service innovations.
Car crash detection on the Series 8 — which was rumored late last year — is enabled by a new three-axis gyroscope and “high g-force” accelerometer that samples data four times faster than the previous generation (and up to 256 gs of force). Leveraging an algorithm running on the device, along with the barometer, the Series 8 can detect crashes in most types of vehicles and automatically notify emergency contacts and services, Apple said.
Apple reportedly used data shared anonymously by iPhone and Apple Watch users to develop the aforementioned algorithm. According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple tapped a data set of more than 10 million suspected vehicle impacts to improve the accuracy of the crash detection system, cross-referencing the crash data with calls to 911 — since crashes associated with 911 calls are more likely to be legitimate.
Google has offered car crash detection for some time on certain Pixel smartphone models. But the Series 8 is one of — if not the only — smartwatch on the market with the feature.
