Apple partners with AAA on roadside assistance

Using AAA services, Apple iPhone 15 and 14 users in the U.S. will have access to roadside assistance via a satellite. 

The service will be provided regardless if the person is an AAA member and can be used when there is no cellular coverage or WiFi. 

AAA said in a comment: "The communication will be a text-based chat with AAA agents located at one of our call centers. The person requesting service will answer a series of questions and once AAA has collected the necessary information, roadside assistance will be dispatched to the individual." 

Roadside assistance via satellite will be free for two years, according to an Apple press release. The satellites are the same used for Apple's Emergency SOS and Crash Detection. That service is currently available in 14 countries. 

Rob Nendorf, director of analytics, Arity, a mobility and data analytics company founded by Allstate, said via email that there is opportunity to provide smartphone users with personalized services. 

"Crash detection and roadside assistance should be available to everyone, not just customers of top insurers and people that can afford the latest Apple devices," he said.

Providing accurate crash detection and roadside services can be challenging, Nendorf added. 

"First, you need a rigorous understanding of the mobile hardware and software and how the sensors provide data. This is likely why Apple has focused on their newer lines of iPhones and Google on Pixel devices," he said. "Second, you need to build artificial intelligence models that are trained using reliable feedback on whether a crash occurred and how severe it was."

As previously reported by Digital Insurance, some insurtechs like Agero and HONK are working with insurers to add technology-focused features like artificial intelligence and GPS tracking capabilities to improve roadside assistance services.