HYDERABAD, February 1: A container driver transporting iron from Chikmagalur, Karnataka, to a cement factory in Yadiki Mandal, Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, found himself stranded overnight in mountainous terrain after following directions from Google Maps.
Unfamiliar with the route, he relied on the navigation app for guidance. However, the suggested path led him into a large pit where his vehicle became stuck. Compounding the issue, there was no mobile signal in the area, leaving the driver unable to call for help. Consequently, he spent the entire night in the mountains, staying awake due to fear. At dawn, with assistance from local residents and the use of a JCB machine, the container was extricated, allowing the driver to continue his journey. A video of this incident has recently gone viral online.
This is not an isolated case of Google Maps leading drivers astray. In the past, a family from Bihar became trapped in Karnataka’s forests due to incorrect directions. In another incident last November, three individuals lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district when, following Google Maps, their car drove off a partially constructed bridge into the Ramganga River.
