Maybe it's true that technology is trying to kill us. One 23-year-old traveler ended up stranded in the wilderness after taking a Google Maps shortcut. Flash forward, and the man needed rescue after ending up trapped in his car.
GPS, especially those on our phones, have been one of the major conveniences of the modern world. I mean it's been around since I was 13 in middle school. I still remember inputting the directions to my middle school crush's house on the way to her party. It's hard to imagine ever going back to a paper map. But this story is a strong suggestion that we shouldn't just take Google Maps at its face value. Otherwise, you may end up in the middle of no where like this man.
He was driving his Toyota Turcell through a Google Maps shortcut, which took him down a dirt road up Strawberry Peak. He was trying to get from Springville to Vernal on July 4. Well, his Independence Day ended up being less than ideal, according to Wasatch County Search and Rescue. You see, the man's car couldn't actually handle the terrain.
Google Maps Leads To Traveler Being Stranded
He quickly found himself trapped in the middle of no where in the middle of night at that. Fortunately, he had a phone signal and called for help. Rescue teams quickly responded, but it still took them three hours to bring the man back down the mountain. No injuries, no fouls, right? Well, not necessarily. You see, in 2022, a father of two ended up dying due to Google Maps. He drove his Jeep off into a creek after following suggestions from the GPS. Google didn't update to consider that a bridge had collapsed 10 years prior.
Meanwhile, Apple is bringing plenty of upgrades with its latest iOS 18. It will add trail maps for the first time ever giving more travel data for hikers to avoid getting loss. Apple's Craig Federighi detailed the additions.
"Maps delivers new topographic maps with detailed trail networks and hiking routes, including all 63 U.S. national parks, that can be saved to your phone and accessed offline with turn-by-turn voice guidance and the ability to create your own hikes," Federighi said.
