Google Maps is stranding drivers in Australia’s outback. Police in Colac, a city west of Melbourne, have reported various problems with the popular mapping software. According to police officers, the maps have provided incorrect directions, which have endangered drivers along the Great Ocean Road and in southern Otways.
According to Sergeant Nick Buenen, Google Maps has been directing vehicles down Wild Dog Road, a one-way dirt road that was never built for heavy traffic.
Google has not commented on the issue at this time, and the local department of public works has denied any part in the snafu which has angered pedestrians.
According to Sergeant Buenen:
“My issue is it’s a significant safety issue for tourists [and] locals, who are getting the wrong information from their GPSs. My concern is that one day we’re going to be at the coroner’s court [being asked] well what did you do about it?”
The Google Maps issue arrives just one week after police in Victoria, Australia began to post bulletin warnings for people using Apple’s iOS 6 mapping software. Apple Maps was stranding drivers in the Australian Outback, sometimes for 24 hours without food or water. Police working the Apple Maps snafu were forced to send out rescue squads to find several people who were attempting to travel towards the city of Mildura.
While Google Maps has not stranded drivers in the middle of nowhere, it has led cars directly into oncoming traffic, which may be even more dangerous.
Do you think mobile mapping software still has a long way to progress, or should drivers expect a certain degree of miscalculation?
