Three men died in India after following Google Maps instructions that led them off an unfinished bridge across the Ramganga River in Uttar Pradesh. When the catastrophe happened, the bridge was still being rebuilt after being damaged by flooding months earlier.
The victims’ car crashed from the suddenly terminating bridge as they were nighttime travelers from Gurugram to Bareilly. Online footage depicts spectators looking out over the terrifying spectacle from the edge of the building, which rises tens of feet above the ground.
The males were using Google Maps for navigation at the time of the disaster, according to local officials. Since then, the victims’ families have voiced their indignation about the inadequate safety precautions and the inaccurate navigational data. One of the victims’ relatives, Pramod Kumar, said, “The road should have been stopped, but it wasn’t. The bridge should not have been depicted as complete on the maps.
Google Maps led a car onto a bridge that had collapsed nine years prior, resulting in his death. This occurrence is reminiscent of a similar tragedy that occurred in North Carolina. In one instance, Google was sued by the victim’s family for failing to update navigation data.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to the families,” a Google representative said in response to the recent event. We’re assisting authorities in their investigation and collaborating closely with them.
Although it is clear that the construction business was negligent in not blocking access to the bridge, there is growing concern about the part GPS services like Google Maps play in these kinds of mishaps. Experts caution that cars, hikers, and tourists are all at risk from inaccurate or out-of-date navigation data, which could put them in perilous situations. This tragedy highlights the urgent need for stricter safety measures and timely updates to navigation systems to prevent similar incidents in the future.