Apple Maps strands motorists looking for Mildura

Updated December 11, 2012 08:16:15

Police have warned that Apple’s glitch-filled Maps app could get someone killed, after motorists looking for the Victorian city of Mildura were instead guided to a wilderness area.

Apple replaced Google Maps with its own maps app in the iPhone’s latest software upgrade.

The app has been widely panned around the world for its poor map data, which shows numerous mistakes.

Victoria Police say that in the past two months they have rescued six people who were lost in the Murray Sunset National Park while trying to get to Mildura – more than 70 kilometres away.

Inspector Simon Clemence says he is concerned people using the Apple Maps app could find themselves in trouble.

“If it was a 45-degree day, someone could actually die,” he said.

“It’s quite a dangerous situation, so we would be calling for people not to use the new Apple iPhone mapping system if they’re travelling from South Australia to Mildura.”

Victoria Wake says she and her partner were travelling from Adelaide to Mildura for a wedding two weeks ago when they got lost for five hours in Murray Sunset National Park.

Ms Wake says her car blew a tyre and eventually became bogged.

“We had no water, we had nothing to eat,” she said.

“We had the shelter of the car, but obviously you don’t want to keep running the car and putting the air conditioner because you don’t know how long you’re going to be there.

“So five hours in the heat working to try to get your car out was scary.”

Suspicious

Inspector Clemence says he is concerned people are relying too much on their GPS devices.

“I’m sure they were getting a bit suspicious and wary by the time they realised that perhaps something was wrong, but a lot of people put too much faith in sat navs,” he said.

Last month Apple sacked an executive who oversaw the development of the mapping app.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook issued an apology for the glitches in September.

He encouraged users to use alternative mapping apps until Apple worked out the bugs.

Google Maps is still available on iPhone through its web browser while users wait for an official Google Maps app, which is being prepared for certification on Apple’s App Store.

Topics: science-and-technology, mobile-phones, mildura-3500, vic, australia

First posted December 10, 2012 11:37:44