Apple Maps will start collecting crowd-sourced accident reports when iOS 14.5 is released. The beta version already lets users test sharing the locations of accidents, speed traps and other hazards.
This is hardly cutting edge, of course. Google Waze has included the feature for years.
The idea is that iPhone users are everywhere, and if one of them reports seeing an accident while driving, other Apple Maps users can be warned. And possibly route around the problem.
And it doesn’t stop there. Apple Maps in the iOS 14.5 beta allows motorists to alert others about more than just crashes. The upcoming version of the navigation software also lets them report speed traps, as well as unspecified hazards.
Alerting drivers about speed cameras and red-light cameras is a feature that was scheduled to debut in iOS 14 in 2020. These crowd-sourced reports should add considerably to the available data.
Testing for iOS 14.5 began recently, and a full release is expected in early spring.
How to report an accident in Apple Maps
The upcoming version of Apple Maps makes it easy to report a road hazard. While en route to a destination. drag up from the bottom of the iPhone screen to open a pop-up window with various options. One of these is Report. Tap on it.
This will overlay a second window labeled Report an Incident. Users are given the option of Accident, Hazard, or Speed Check.
Currently, there are no warnings about reporting hazards while driving. It’s possible such will be added before the final version is released.
