A family from Bihar, heading to Goa for a vacation, experienced a harrowing night in the Bhimgad forest in Belagavi district of Karnataka after relying on Google Maps for directions.
Ranjit Das and his family were heading towards Goa when the navigation app directed them to the Shiroli and Hemmadaga areas. Unaware of what awaited them, they followed the road which took them 7 to 8 kilometers into the dense forest of Bhimgad. The events occurred late in the night of December 4.
With no mobile network available, the family found themselves stranded, unable to seek help. Having no choice, they spent the night in their vehicle, isolated in an unknown and potentially dangerous forest.
The next day, Das traveled nearly four kilometers to find the mobile signal.
Once connected, he called the emergency services on the hotline number 112. Local police responded to his call and rescued the family.
Khanapur police inspector Manjunath Nayak said that after Das regained mobile connectivity and contacted emergency services, help was quickly dispatched.
“The Belagavi police control room passed the information to the Khanapur police, who used the GPS coordinates to locate the family and reach them with the help of villagers,” Nayak was quoted as saying by media reports.
He also pointed out that the family was fortunate to find mobile connectivity because the forest is home to various wildlife species, including a recent bear attack that seriously injured a farmer.
This isn't the first time Google Maps has been criticized for inaccurate directions. In late November, authorities opened an investigation into the app after three men died when their car, following a route suggested by Google Maps, left an incomplete bridge. The incident took place while the group was on their way to a wedding in Uttar Pradesh. Police reported that the driver, relying on the app, drove the car off the bridge and into a river.
Earlier, in August 2024, user X Ashish Kacholia shared his experience of missing a flight from Bangalore to Mumbai due to the app's inaccurate prediction. Kacholia, traveling from HSR Layout to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), a journey of over 50 kilometers, noted that Google Maps estimated the journey would take 1 hour and 45 minutes. However, the journey took him three hours, causing him to miss his flight.
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