Mumbai: A woman following Google Maps directions on Friday morning accidentally drove her car into a ditch in Navi Mumbai. The incident occurred as she travelled from Belapur to Ulwe.
Instead of guiding her over the Bay bridge in Belapur, the navigation app directed her beneath it, toward Dhruvatara Jetty. Trusting the directions, she proceeded—only to drive straight into a water-filled ditch moments later.
Marine security officials nearby witnessed the mishap and quickly pulled her to safety. She was seen floating in the water but emerged unharmed. Her white car was also recovered using a crane.
A video from the scene shows the rescue in action, with the car being hoisted out of the ditch.
This isn’t the first time Google Maps has come under scrutiny for misleading users.
Last year in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district, three people tragically lost their lives when their car, guided by Google Maps, drove onto a damaged bridge and plunged 50 feet into a river. In response, Google said it was assisting authorities in the investigation and expressed condolences to the victims’ families.
In another case, tourists from Hyderabad drove into a flooded stream in Kerala, again while using Google Maps. Unfamiliar with the area and unable to see the submerged road, they accidentally entered the water. Fortunately, all four passengers escaped uninjured.