Recently, a group of travellers from the US were using Google Maps to find their way back from Las Vegas to California. However, trusting the tech to lead them back home didn’t go quite as planned. The app ended up leading the group of travellers into a desert storm. This incident, and many other similar incidents have ended up raising the question, how much can you actually trust this app?
Google Maps Misleads US Travellers And Takes Them Into Desert Storm
If you’ve ever tried using Google Maps in an area that is not quite rural and not very well-marked, chances are that it ended up misguiding you. Recently, a group of travellers in the US were on their way back to California after attending a Formula 1 race in Las Vegas. The group consisted of four people. Shelby Easler, Austin – who is Shelby’s brother, and their partners.
The incident happened on November 19. The app suggested that the group take an alternate route to avoid traffic instead of taking the usual route. The usual route would be Interstate 15, which is a major highway that connects Las Vegas to California. They took the alternative route to avoid getting caught in a dust storm which would lead to major traffic delays.
However, as luck (or the app) would have it, Google Maps led them straight into the desert storm. The app directed the group to go off-road and to take the rugged desert terrain. In a video that went viral on social media, Shelby showed that their car wasn’t the only one that was misdirected. A huge cavalcade of vehicles was also on the trail, evidently misguided by the app.
Other Incidents Why They Occur?
A lorry driver who was returning on the trail directed everyone to go back and informed them that the road led to nowhere. This is not the first time that the app has misled people. Many incidents have been reported where people have been fatally misdirected by the app. A lorry driver from Tamil Nadu ended up driving his lorry into deep waters near Akkanapet in Telangana.
According to an article published by Autoevolution, this might happen because of incorrect editing through the crowdsourcing component of the app. Many people might incorrectly mark places which may end up misguiding people who use the app. It is therefore important to have road signage everywhere. Especially if the area is deserted or located in the middle of nowhere.
Having road signage in such spots can help drivers understand whenever technology is misguiding them or leading them in the wrong direction.
Have you ever been misled or misdirected by Google Maps? Let us know in the comments section below!
Cover Image Credits: Canva Images
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