Inaccurate Apple Maps directions causes 'life threatening issue' for travelers, says Australian poli
Police in Victoria, Australia issued a warning to motorists on Monday, saying directions from Apple's new iOS 6 Maps app has recently caused a number of travelers to become stranded in a remote national park.
Update: Apple has updated iOS Maps with correct data for Mildura, Australia, reports The Guardian, with the changes being pushed out hours after reports brought attention to the matter. The refreshed information may not available for all users, however, as AppleInsider checks still show Mildura as being in the same incorrect location.
According to the police bulletin, over the past few weeks a number of rescue operations were carried out as motorists on their way to the city of Mildura became stranded in the Murray-Sunset National Park, each of which cited faulty directions from Apple's Maps app.
Due to bad cell coverage in the area, travelers walked long distances without food or water to call authorities, which in some cases took up to 24 hours to complete the rescue. While no fatalities have been reported, police are concerned that the park's lack of water and harsh temperatures could prove the app's inaccuracies to be a "potentially life threatening issue." Apple's mapping app allows for caching of data for offline use, explaining how those who found themselves lost were able to continually access directions.
It appears the problem lies in iOS Maps location data for Mildura, which places the small city over 40 miles south-east of its actual location, and not the navigation system itself. It is unknown why the problem has only recently been reported, though Apple is continually making changes to its mapping service and even offers users a way to help by reporting issues which are then vetted by the Maps team.
"Police have contacted Apple in relation to the issue and hope the matter is rectified promptly to ensure the safety of motorists travelling to Mildura," Victoria police said in a briefing posted to its website. "Anyone travelling to Mildura or other locations within Victoria should rely on other forms of mapping until this matter is rectified."
Red box represents approximate location of where motorists were being directed. | Source: Google Maps
Apple came under fire in September when the Maps app launched to a flood of criticism over incorrect data, lack of features and poor initial implementation of 3D Flyover views. In response to the consumer outcry, CEO Tim Cook issued a letter publicly apologizing for the debacle, saying that the company "fell short" with its mapping efforts.
Unlike previous iterations of the app, which leveraged Google Maps data on the backend, the iOS Maps app uses in-house software to give directions based on assets from TomTom and other providers. In moving away from Google, Apple reportedly waived one year of its Google Maps contract, losing access to the internet search giant's years of gathered data and imagery, including the popular Street View feature.
Currently, Apple's Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue is reportedly "racing" to improve Maps, one of the first steps being the ousting of former project head Richard Williamson.
Update: Apple has updated iOS Maps with correct data for Mildura, Australia, reports The Guardian, with the changes being pushed out hours after reports brought attention to the matter. The refreshed information may not available for all users, however, as AppleInsider checks still show Mildura as being in the same incorrect location.
According to the police bulletin, over the past few weeks a number of rescue operations were carried out as motorists on their way to the city of Mildura became stranded in the Murray-Sunset National Park, each of which cited faulty directions from Apple's Maps app.
Due to bad cell coverage in the area, travelers walked long distances without food or water to call authorities, which in some cases took up to 24 hours to complete the rescue. While no fatalities have been reported, police are concerned that the park's lack of water and harsh temperatures could prove the app's inaccuracies to be a "potentially life threatening issue." Apple's mapping app allows for caching of data for offline use, explaining how those who found themselves lost were able to continually access directions.
It appears the problem lies in iOS Maps location data for Mildura, which places the small city over 40 miles south-east of its actual location, and not the navigation system itself. It is unknown why the problem has only recently been reported, though Apple is continually making changes to its mapping service and even offers users a way to help by reporting issues which are then vetted by the Maps team.
"Police have contacted Apple in relation to the issue and hope the matter is rectified promptly to ensure the safety of motorists travelling to Mildura," Victoria police said in a briefing posted to its website. "Anyone travelling to Mildura or other locations within Victoria should rely on other forms of mapping until this matter is rectified."
Red box represents approximate location of where motorists were being directed. | Source: Google Maps
Apple came under fire in September when the Maps app launched to a flood of criticism over incorrect data, lack of features and poor initial implementation of 3D Flyover views. In response to the consumer outcry, CEO Tim Cook issued a letter publicly apologizing for the debacle, saying that the company "fell short" with its mapping efforts.
Unlike previous iterations of the app, which leveraged Google Maps data on the backend, the iOS Maps app uses in-house software to give directions based on assets from TomTom and other providers. In moving away from Google, Apple reportedly waived one year of its Google Maps contract, losing access to the internet search giant's years of gathered data and imagery, including the popular Street View feature.
Currently, Apple's Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue is reportedly "racing" to improve Maps, one of the first steps being the ousting of former project head Richard Williamson.
Comments
In my area there are still many many in accurately placed POIs. I've just downloaded M8 which is much more accurate. So, why can't a company with the resources as Apple have access to the same quality data as the smaller frys?
It would be great if AI would give us a piece on the technical issues involved with presenting accurate maps and what in Earth led to Apple releasing their Maps app without, at least, a Beta stamp. It would be interesting to know the Testing procedures used, or not used for some reason.
There is no need to put "(sic)" after "travelling" as that is the correct spelling in Australian English.
I guess this is a problem with late entry into the market though. I daresay Google had lots of issues in the early days but back then people didn't rely on them so decisively.
As an Australian, I'd like to take the opportunity to say:
Hey, Dumbasses!
Research trips more thoroughly using more than a single source of information that isn't the first version of a type of technology!
Where is Apple getting all this crap data from?
Or is it the data? I mean, surely TomTom can't be making these mistakes?
Also, as snoblenet stated, "travelling" is the correct spelling in Australian English (as well as all the other non-US varieties).
The question is why the hell hasn't this been fixed already? All this shit is server side, so especially things like this that make a big stink and make world wide headlines have no reason to still be broken.
Maps data WAS improving for a month or so after iOS6 released but it seems like nothing has been updated since then. Why is that? Starting to think maybe they fired the wrong guy, Eddy is in charge of all the internet stuff right?
Apple is a smart company with all the money and resources one could wish for in the world, we should be seeing massive improvements in maps. Every. Single. Day. Right now Apple has a lot of shit data and a really lame search rotting away that can't even do basic fuzzy searching like turning "Applestore" into "Apple Store" to find their own shops.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTR
As an Australian, I'd like to take the opportunity to say:
Hey, Dumbasses!
Research trips more thoroughly using more than a single source of information that isn't the first version of a type of technology!
As an Australian, I'd like to take the opportunity to say: Hey, Dumbasses!, make sure you thoroughly test your shit before releasing it. You never know, someone might be stupid enough to use it.
Unbelievable? Nah, there's one born every minute.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cnocbui
As an Australian, I'd like to take the opportunity to say: Hey, Dumbasses!, make sure you thoroughly test your shit before releasing it. You never know, someone might be stupid enough to use it.
Right, so in your capacity as Apple's software tester, how would you go have gone about testing for every location that folk are likely to search for?
It is an stupidity of the individual. It has widely been published about issues with iOS6 map. If I I am going to be in wilderness, I better check out other map to validate the accuracy, especially when it has been a public knowledge about the iOS6 map. Secondly, the interesting thing the article mentions about lack of cell coverage in the area. Even with the correct map, the person would have not been able to follow the maps.
Apparently, Australia has found one thing or another to come after Apple. First, it was the LTE issue and now they are pulling this map non-sense. Apple, Screw Australia!
Just take a look at the east coast of Australia and then look at it in satellite view! The map view draws a polygon area 150 metres out to sea. WTF is that crap.
Common Apple, that's just a pathetic effort.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogifan
Wow, what did people do before electronic navigation systems existed? Even if a map app is absolutely horrible don't you the driver at some point realize its not taking you to the right place and turn around?
Did happen to me in Canada once. The car's sat nav was taking me one route, but the signs were pointing east, so I switched it off and used the map.
If there are no road signs and you haven't got a map (and I really can't imagine why anyone would drive in a country they're unfamiliar without a decent map) then you're pretty much stuck with the technology.
ie... in the desert/foret , prevent yourself from going in circles...
(and how should apple show the "Man eating crocadiles"/ deadily spiders/deadly snakes on the map of Australia?) /Facetious
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rayz
Right, so in your capacity as Apple's software tester, how would you go have gone about testing for every location that folk are likely to search for?
Pay me as much as she/he is, and I would be more than happy to tell you.