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Google Maps Is a Godsend, Just Don’t Trust Everything It Says

Google Maps has evolved to become a fully-featured platform that’s capable of so much more than simply helping you to find and reach a specific address faster and safer, so for example, it can now indicate the bussyness level of a store, the opening hours, and even let you explore the surroundings using street-level imagery.
Google Maps is now the world's leading navigation app 7 photos
Photo: Google
This is how Google Maps now looks in a RHD carTomTom AmiGO on Android AutoSygic on Android AutoWaze on Android AutoGoogle Maps on Android AutoGoogle Maps on Android Auto
But as far as drivers out there are concerned, the navigation capabilities that Google Maps offers have become a must-have weapon against the nightmare traffic we’re all trying to deal with these days, especially as the number of cars on the road are slowly but surely returning back to normal.

And Google Maps is a valuable tool to find faster routes, despite alternatives like Waze offering more advanced capabilities in this regard.

But at the end of the day, Google Maps is the application that most people prefer, especially because Google has always worked around the clock on making it as accurate as possible. And at some level, it managed to do this, not only thanks to its very own investments in new technology but also with the help of volunteers and users out there who are continuously reporting map errors.

So right now, Google Maps is an incredibly accurate navigation solution that makes going from point A to point B not only faster but also safer and more convenient.

And yet, it doesn’t mean you should trust everything Google Maps says.

Sygic on Android Auto
Photo: Sygic
Indeed, Google’s navigation solution has become more and more accurate throughout all these years, but this doesn’t make it bulletproof. And unfortunately, some people learned the whole thing the hard way.

Last year, for example, two young Russians used Google Maps to get directions as they were driving during the typical brutally cold weather in their country. The navigation app, however, took them off the highway and sent the driver on a closed road that hadn’t been used in years.

Despite all the signs they should return to the highway, the driver simply trusted what Google Maps said, so he followed the directions confident it was the correct route. Unfortunately, it wasn’t, and the car eventually broke down and got stuck in the snow in the middle of nowhere in an area with no cellular coverage.

The driver froze to death, while the passenger was rescued by emergency teams and eventually rushed to the hospital with severe injuries.

And there are many similar cases when drivers trusting Google Maps blindly ended up on unused roads, in rivers or lakes, or on roads where their vehicles didn’t fit. And it’s all because despite its impressive accuracy, Google Maps still isn’t a flawless solution, and trusting it blindly is a big no-no.

Google Maps on Android Auto
Photo: Google
If anything, what makes Google Maps even better is common sense. If you’re driving a car using Google Maps for navigation and the application takes you off a highway and sends you on a country road that looks abandoned, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out it may not be a good idea to follow the provided directions.

The same thing if you’re driving a truck. Given Google Maps doesn’t come with a dedicated truck mode, if the application sends you on a tight road where it looks like you won’t fit, you’d better not follow the recommended route. Better safe than sorry.

At the end of the day, all of these are the typical shortcomings that you could come across when using any other navigation application. It takes just a minor map error to send you to the middle of nowhere, so if anything, this proves that despite all the improvements Google Maps has received lately, it’s still a navigation app prone to the same problems as all its competitors.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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