As MacRumors notes, the ability of Apple’s iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 smartphones to send emergency text messages over a satellite network has found a new practical application. Now the roadside assistance program is available to drivers and subscribers of the Verizon operator who have these devices.

Previously, as the source noted, a similar program was already working for AAA customers, allowing them to call a car for technical assistance in regions where there is no normal network coverage. Verizon’s roadside assistance partner is Signature Motor Club, a basic set of services included in the $4.99 monthly subscription. The tariff covers towing a car with a winch, fuel distribution, “burning” of a dead battery, replacement of a spare wheel, emergency opening of a blocked car and towing services for the first 16 km of the route (10 miles). In the next section, you will need to pay $5.76 for each mile of travel.

All these services are available even to Verizon subscribers who do not subscribe to the service, they just need to pay the technical assistance services representatives at fixed prices for their services. As the telecommunications operator explains, to use this option, the client must have an iPhone 14 or newer smartphone running iOS 17.2 or a later version of the operating system. It is possible that these Apple partners will later be joined by other communications operators as well as companies that provide technical support services to drivers.