WICHITA, Kan. – Sept. 14, 2023 – AAA is excited to announce a new partnership with Apple to provide Emergency Roadside Service for iPhone users in remote locations. Specifically, Apple has shared that users of the newly introduced iPhone® 15 lineup, as well as the iPhone 14, will be able to connect to AAA for Roadside Assistance via satellite, even when there is no Wi-Fi or cellular service.
“At AAA, safety is at the core of who we are. This new partnership with Apple takes our commitment to the next level by providing roadside service to motorists previously unreachable,” said Thomas Vaughan, Executive Vice President, Membership, Strategy and Growth, AAA Club Alliance. “Thanks to iPhone’s satellite capabilities, we can now help drivers stranded in remote locations, when they need us most.”
iPhone users requesting roadside assistance can be connected via satellite with AAA after answering a few questions to capture important details. Users will receive clear guidance on how to stay connected to a satellite, so they can message with a AAA agent and get important information about the status of their request.
As one of North America’s largest and most trusted membership organizations, AAA responds to approximately 30 million calls for roadside assistance annually and serves more than 63 million members. Apple’s satellite infrastructure is an innovative solution that will allows us to extend our emergency support to iPhone users.
“Rescue options are limited for stranded drivers without cell service and getting to an area that has connectivity or Wi-Fi might require walking several miles,” Vaughan said. “We are proud to work with Apple to offer safety and protection to anyone in need, regardless of their location.”
Roadside Assistance via satellite* will be available to all iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 users in the United States, regardless of whether they are a AAA member. Once the questionnaire is received, AAA members will be verified and service will be provided**. Non-members will be responsible for payment upon completion of the service. Roadside Assistance via satellite is built on the groundbreaking technology that powers Emergency SOS via satellite, launched by Apple in 2022, which allows iPhone 14 and now iPhone 15 users to access emergency services via satellite when cellular coverage or Wi-Fi is unavailable.
*Individuals must be located near a road to receive service. AAA does not provide off-road vehicle recovery.
** Service will be provided according to the terms of membership and will be available in the U.S. and Puerto Rico beginning September 22, 2023.
