Apple Announces New Roadside Assistance via Satellite Feature for iPhone 14 and iPhone 15

At today's iPhone 15 event, Apple introduced an add-on feature to Emergency SOS via Satellite called Roadside Assistance via Satellite. The feature is similar to Emergency SOS, but it allows iPhone users to contact roadside assistance if they have car trouble in an area without cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity.

apple roadside assistance
Roadside Assistance via Satellite is available for the ‌iPhone 15‌ models, but it is also a feature that is retroactively available for the iPhone 14 lineup. Available in the United States, roadside assistance is being offered through a partnership with AAA.

The functionality is included in an AAA membership, but Apple said that ‌iPhone‌ users can also get access separately. The company did not provide details on what it would cost without an AAA membership, but AAA is priced starting at $65 per year.

As with Emergency SOS via Satellite, you can text roadside assistance and choose what you need help with. Options demonstrated at the event included flat tire, no fuel, locked out, vehicle stuck, and vehicle does not start.

Apple includes two years of Emergency SOS via Satellite and Roadside Assistance via Satellite connectivity for free with the purchase of an ‌iPhone 14‌ or ‌iPhone 15‌. Note that in the case of Roadside Assistance, you need the satellite connectivity and to pay the additional fee to AAA.

Related Roundups: iPhone 14, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

LlamaLarry Avatar
7 months ago

The only time I didn't have cellular connection in the past 10 years happened in the US. Sorry, it just doesn't happen in Europe, at least not on roads. Here in Switzerland where I live, not even on mountain peaks.
Well considering that the US is 27,723% larger than Switzerland that really isn't surprising that you don't understand how much area we have to cover.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheColtr Avatar
7 months ago
I have had AAA roadside since I started driving, and my parents and grandparents have had it for decades. I love AAA and I am so happy Apple partnered with them on this.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zach-coleman Avatar
7 months ago
I wonder how they’ll fit a ”Apple saved me when my car broke down” into next year‘s keynote without it seeming silly in comparison to the ones who almost died.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
t0rqx Avatar
7 months ago

I wonder how they’ll fit a ”Apple saved me when my car broke down” into next year‘s keynote without it seeming silly in comparison to the ones who almost died.
I saw the playbooks already for next year. Here's a glimpse. They already have some stories lined up. For example:

1. a soon to be father whos driving the soon to be mother to the hospital ready to welcome a baby on time due to this new feature.

2. Student driving to University to attend exams, but car broke down. Due to her Apple Watch she was able to arrive on time and graduated with honours.

3. Self-Employed delivery guy who specialises in certain goods with a contract for delivering certain products on time, whol almost came late, but luckily just bought the new iPhone 15 Pro.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LlamaLarry Avatar
7 months ago

I’d rather not pay AAA just so I don’t have to pay out of pocket once a decade or less.
Man, my daughter in law uses my son's AAA sub account for car lockout so often we had to figure out the max number of times she could and when the period reset. I've never met a person in my life that is locked out of her car as often as her. She's got a master's degree, she's brilliant, but dude - she loves slamming that door with the keys in the cup holder like it's in her job description.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
75Batt Avatar
7 months ago

The only time I didn't have cellular connection in the past 10 years happened in the US. Sorry, it just doesn't happen in Europe, at least not on roads. Here in Switzerland where I live, not even on mountain peaks.
From Europe here. You have named one country. And I can say personally it has happened to me quite a few times in more than on European country. Apple didn’t make it available in Switzerland anyway so what is your issue?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
General Apps Messages

Google Reveals When to Expect RCS Support on iPhone for Improved Texting With Android Users

Friday March 29, 2024 7:14 am PDT by
In November, Apple announced that the iPhone would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the Messages app starting "later" in 2024, and Google has now revealed a more narrow timeframe. In a since-deleted section of the revamped Google Messages web page, spotted by 9to5Google, Google said that Apple would be adopting RCS on the iPhone in the "fall...
airtag new orange

Criminals in Montreal Using AirTags to Steal Vehicles

Friday March 29, 2024 12:50 pm PDT by
Thieves in Montreal, Canada have been using Apple's AirTags to facilitate vehicle theft, according to a report from Vermont news sites WCAX and NBC5 (via 9to5Mac). Police officers in Burlington, Vermont have issued a warning about AirTags for drivers who recently visited Canada. Two Burlington residents found Apple AirTags in their vehicles after returning from trips to Montreal, and these...
top stories 30mar2024

Top Stories: WWDC 2024 Announced, New iPads Delayed, and More

Saturday March 30, 2024 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's WWDC 2024 dates have been announced, giving us timing for the unveiling of the company's next round of major operating system updates and likely some other announcements. This week also saw some disappointing news on the iPad front, with update timing for the iPad Pro and iPad Air pushed back from previous rumors. We did hear some new tidbits about what might be coming in iOS 18 and...
iphone 16 cases sonny dickson 1

First iPhone 16 Cases Outline New Rear Vertical Camera Bump

Friday March 29, 2024 4:09 am PDT by
Photos of the first iPhone 16 cases have been shared online, offering another preview of the rumored new vertical rear camera arrangement on the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. Image credit: Accessory leaker Sonny Dickson Over the last few months, Apple has been experimenting with different camera bump designs for the standard iPhone 16 models, all of which have featured a vertical ...
Apple iPhone 15 Pro spatial video capture lifestyle

$3 App Shoots Better Quality Spatial Video Than iPhone's Camera App

Friday March 29, 2024 4:48 am PDT by
A $3 third-party app can now record spatial video on iPhone 15 Pro models in a higher resolution than Apple's very own Camera app. Thanks to an update first spotted by UploadVR, Spatialify can now record spatial videos with HDR in 1080p at 60fps or in 4K at 30fps. In comparison, Apple's native Camera app is limited to recording spatial video in 1080p at 30fps. Shortly after Apple's Vision ...