Safety First: Samsung Galaxy S24 Series and Galaxy Z Fold 5 May Receive Car Crash Detection Feature, According to Reports

Reports suggest that Samsung is gearing up to introduce a car crash detection feature in its upcoming flagship devices, the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. A developer unearthed a new sensor called ‘Car Crash Detect Wakeup’ in the Galaxy Z Fold 5, sparking speculation about Samsung’s intention to incorporate this safety feature into its smartphones. Apple and Google have already integrated car crash detection features into their smartphones, with Apple introducing it since the iPhone 14 and Google since the Pixel 4 (initially in the US, later expanded to other markets).

The discovery of this hidden sensor was made by Mishaal Rahman from Android Police, who found it listed in the Tasker app—a tool that enables users to automate tasks based on contextual triggers. The sensor, named Car Crash Detect Wakeup, operates in a ‘special trigger’ mode and is identified as a composite virtual sensor. This means it aggregates data from multiple physical sensors, processing it to determine if a car crash has occurred.

Remarkably, a similar sensor was also uncovered in the Samsung Galaxy S24 series by the developer. Notably, both devices have been designed to disallow batching sensor events, minimizing any potential delays in reporting a car crash. This proactive approach ensures that the system promptly notifies users and, if necessary, contacts emergency services in the event of a car crash. As smartphone manufacturers continue to prioritize user safety, the potential inclusion of a car crash detection feature adds a significant layer of security to Samsung’s flagship devices.

Interestingly, the report also highlighted a hidden app in Samsung’s One UI 6.1 build called MoccaMobile, which contains codes to start and stop the car crash sensor. However, MoccaMobile was also present in older versions of the OS skin including One UI 5.1.1 build for Galaxy Z Fold 5 as well as One UI 6.0 build for the Galaxy S23 Ultra. This is strange considering the latter is not even equipped with the car crash detection sensor.

All of this points out to two possible scenarios. The first is that Samsung is indeed working on bringing the feature to the abovementioned smartphones, and while the code was ready for a while, the sensors were finally put in place with the Galaxy Z Fold 5. If this is true, delays could be attributed to final tweaks and testing, and it can be said that the Car Crash Detection feature could soon make a debut.

On the flip side, smartphone makers are known for shipping software with codes from unfinished or dropped features that never see the light of day. The MoccaMobile app could be one of those. At the moment, Samsung has shared no plans to bring a car crash detection feature to its phones.