Apple is reportedly working on a feature called "crash detection" that would notice when you've been involved in a car accident and call 911 automatically. This is a new feature that could actually save your life.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, Apple would use the accelerometer sensors in iPhones and Apple Watches to sense that a car accident has occurred and alert 911.
According to documents viewed by WSJ, Apple has been working on the feature for several years, so it definitely wouldn't be something the company is just throwing together. Obviously, the feature needs to be done correctly, because the last thing Apple would want is to be responsible for a bunch of false 911 calls.
In testing, Apple has detected more than 10 million suspected crashes, with more than 50,000 of those accompanied by a call to 911. As a car crash is usually accompanied by a call to 911, Apple can use the suspected crashes compared to 911 calls to help make its crash detection feature more accurate.
This certainly wouldn't be the first time smartphones have been used to automatically report accidents, with Google introducing it on Pixel 3 devices and OnStar having it for some time. However, it'll be more widely available if it comes to iPhone and Apple Watch just based on the install base.
Apple has also dabbled with a similar idea with fall detection on Apple Watch, so it's not outside of the company's comfort zone. However, this is all based on leaked documents, so there's no guarantee the feature becomes a reality.