Apple iPhone 15 can now send SOS if your car has flat tyre or runs out of fuel

Tech-giant Apple's latest smartphone series - iPhone 15 now comes with satellite-powered Roadside Assistance in partnership with AAA. The feature has also been updated on the iPhone 14 series. Those buying and activating these devices will get two years of Emergency SOS and Roadside Assistance access for free. The services that the user gets are covered under the AAA membership terms or available on a pay-per-use basis for non-AAA members.

The new Roadside Assistance service, which is available in US only, is an expansion of the Emergency SOS via satellite feature that was launched with the iPhone 14 last year. These services work by making use of Apple's Emergency Text via satellite option in emergency situations when a driver doesn't have cellular network or Wi-Fi coverage.

The feature can help send out emergency SOS in case one is having trouble with the car by sending a text to AAA for assistance in cases such as being locked out, running out of fuel, getting a dead car battery, or having a flat tyre. Users will also be trained and guided on how to stay connected to a satellite, so that they can chat with a AAA agent and get important updates about the status of their request.

When one connects to AAA for emergency SOS, a screen will pop up some questions to capture the situation. Once these are answered, it will transmit the necessary information via satellite to AAA so they can dispatch someone to the user's location. However, one drawback of this feature is that a clear line of sight to the sky is needed to connect via satellite. It might not work if one's car breaks down in a heavily wooded forest or any remote place where the satellite connection is difficult. Also, the car will need to be located near a road to receive service as off-road vehicle recovery is not provided by AAA.