Woman Drives Audi Q3 Into Water-Filled Ditch: Blames Google Maps [Video]
Many of us rely on Google Maps and other app-based navigation during our commutes. Over-reliance and improper use of these have lately been causing accidents (or atleast claimed to do so!). The latest such case is from Navi Mumbai, where a woman who was reportedly relying on Google Maps for directions ended up driving her Audi Q3 SUV into a water-filled ditch! This mishap happened in the Belapur area, at around 1 am. The woman, who was alone in the SUV, got immediate help from the officials and is safe now.
The primary blame in this case has been put on Google Maps. The lady was going to Ulwe from the Belapur area, closely following directions offered by the app. She was supposed to take Belapur's Bay bridge and make it to the other side. This, however, did not happen, as the navigation app allegedly asked her to take a route beneath the bridge. This road, in fact, leads to the Dhruvatara Jetty. The woman obliged and eventually ended up driving into the ditch.
Mumbai has been getting strong rainfall in the past few weeks. The ditch here had high water level. Luckily, rescue operations began soon after the car fell into the ditch. The lady was pulled out and moved to safety by the marine security officials, using one of their boats. She is reported to be recovering now.
Speaking to ANI, Belapur's Assistant Police Inspector confirmed that the police received a distress call at around 1 am on Friday. The marine security guards and the local police conducted the primary investigation soon after the rescue to find out the actual cause of the incident.
The real issue here seems to be the improper use of Google Maps. Over-reliance on on-screen navigation and staying ignorant of immediate surroundings could have caused the crash. Another possible cause could be the chaos that heavy rains brought to the place.
Mumbai roads have flooded patches and compromised visibility in many regions. This might have confused the driver here. She might have taken the ditch for a submerged patch of road and tried to wade through it, soon landing in the water-filled ditch.
Not A One-Off Case
With the monsoons kicking in, accidents and incidents citing Google Maps as the key cause have increased. We recently saw a Tata Tiago EV plunge into a canal in Kerala, after the app allegedly got misled by Maps. The water level was high enough to get the car half-submerged.
The vehicle was carrying an elderly couple, who managed to escape unhurt. This accident happened in broad daylight. The occupant got immediate help from the people around, leading to a fast rescue. Videos that were shared online show water to have entered the electric hatchback's cabin as well.
There was a timber mill nearby. The workers from here were the first to show up with help. A crane from the mill was further used to pull the vehicle out of the stream.
Pre-Monsoon Cases
In previous incidents, we saw a Maruti WagonR fall into a river from an unfinished bridge, after Google Maps, which the driver was relying on, failed to give them proper warnings or get them rerouted in time. The car here was a cab which was heading to Dataganj from Bareilly. Three died in the crash which occurred at around 10 am. Help arrived immediately, but there was nothing much to be done as the car had fallen to a good depth.