Police: Google Maps Can Also Deliver Dangerous Directions

Comes after Australian police issue warn about Apple Maps.

After Australian police warned motorists not to rely on Apple Maps, authorities have issued a similar warning pertaining to Google Maps.

Police in Colac, which is a town west of Melbourne, stressed that Google Maps has created "a significant safety issue for tourists [and] locals" within the Great Ocean Road. The service apparently suggests users to drive down a one-way road that hasn't been built for heavy traffic, so says a police sergeant.

Tour buses in particular utilizing Wild Dog Road are in danger of being driven off the road, Sgt. Nick Buenen explained to ABC.

A Google spokesperson, however, stated that Google Maps directs drivers towards Wild Dog Road only if the driver searches for a destination located on said road. For directions to other nearby locations, meanwhile, Google Maps routes drivers onto Forrest-Apollo Bay Road/Skenes Creek Road.

The police warning comes after a warning regarding Apple Maps, which is said to have incorrectly told users that the town of Mildura was located in the middle of Murray Sunset National Park, 70 kilometers from its location. A number of motorists were left stranded for up to 24 hours without food or water.

Following widespread speculation regarding its return after it was removed from iOS 6, Google recently launched a standalone Maps app onto the App Store.

Source: tomsguide.com