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Google Maps Sends Voters to Wrong Location: This Is the Achilles’ Heel of Navigation Apps

Navigation apps are, without a doubt, a must-have piece of software for many people out there, especially when it comes to finding a location they’ve never been to.
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But on the other hand, there are countless cases indicating that we shouldn’t take these applications for granted, as the smallest error in their database can send us to the middle of nowhere without us knowing about it.

A recent case from Utah is just living proof in this regard. Voters in Weber County used Google Maps to navigate to the voting location but ended up being sent to a place that was closed. The local media is reporting that plenty of people ended up seeking the voting location at the Weber County Center, all after relying on Google Maps for information on where they needed to go to cast their votes.

The navigation app wasn’t updated to let users know the authorities picked a new location, so they ended up all together in the wrong place. The local authorities were rapidly informed of the error, so they eventually opened a new voting location in the place indicated on Google Maps, just to make sure that people who use the app still cast their votes.

This is actually the big problem with Google Maps and other navigation apps. Keeping them up-to-date and 100 percent accurate is something that’s incredibly difficult, especially given the vast maps they provide to users.

As a result, drivers should always avoid taking everything the satnav says for granted and try to pay attention to road signs just to be sure they are making an informed decision.

Unfortunately, those who ignore these recommendations end up risking their lives or even worse. Not a long time ago, two Russians followed the Google Maps navigation to be sent to a closed road, eventually getting stuck in the snow in an area without cellular reception. The driver froze to death, while the passenger was found and rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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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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