Google Maps had a nasty surprise in store for German drivers looking to enjoy the four-day Ascension Day weekend. The app wrongly reported that many large sections of the autobahn were closed on major routes around Berlin, Hamburg, and Frankfurt. The oddity also affected parts of Belgium and the Netherlands.
Google Maps Goes Crazy
The maps were littered with red dots! Some users were amused: "It's as if the Autobahn had a breakout!." But for others, it was a real pain. Alternative routes were indeed crowded and very difficult to navigate... while the autobahns were flowing smoothly. Waze and Apple Maps users didn't encounter any problems on these usually busy roads, and for good reason: there wasn't any problem, just a major bug.
Police and traffic authorities were inundated with calls from drivers asking for help. There was indeed reason to panic: what if it was a natural disaster, a cyberattack, or worse, a nationwide attack? Fortunately, if you can call it that, it was a "simple" computer glitch that caused this road rout.
A Google spokesperson told German media that an investigation was underway to understand what happened in the app. Following user reports, the search engine removed the false road closures, but it wasn't enough to prevent the chaos.
The Google representative explained that the information displayed in Maps comes from three main sources: third-party providers, public transport authorities, and driver reports. The map is constantly updated: "In general, these sources provide a solid foundation for comprehensive and up-to-date map information." Except when they don't!
Source: Morgen Post
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