Tata Tiago EV With Elderly Couple In It Falls Into Canal: Google Maps Blamed Yet Again! [Video]
The monsoon is intensifying in many parts of the country. The count of associated mishaps is also on the rise. The latest such incident is from Kerala's Kuruppanthara. A Tata Tiago EV fell into a canal and got almost half-submerged, after Google Maps allegedly misled the driver. The electric hatchback had an elderly couple inside, who managed to escape unhurt.
This accident took place in broad daylight. This meant that the couple got immediate help from people around, and the vehicle could be recovered at the earliest. The couple, identified as Josy Joseph and Sheeba, were on their way to meet a friend in Manvettom, when the unfortunate incident happened.
The couple was relying on Google Maps for directions. This allegedly caused trouble! The EV reportedly veered off the road and fell into a stream nearby, as its driver continued to follow app guidance. In the video that was later shared online, we can see that the car has its nose half-submerged. Water has entered the cabin as well.
Both occupants could soon be evacuated to safety as there were people around. There was also a timber mill nearby, the workers of which were actively involved in the rescue operations. They used a crane, likely from the mill, to pull the car out.
Recollecting the incident, the rescued driver said that he was following instructions from Google Maps and since there was a lot of water around, couldn't see the road clearly. Before he could realise his mistake, the car entered a huge ditch. Getting it out almost felt impossible.
The road here, is tricky. It takes a sharp zig-zag turn, with a stream nearby. If the driver isn't aware of the turn, they could get into trouble. In previous cases, several other vehicles were also involved in similar accidents here. Moved by these, the local authorities had placed warning signs and direction boards for passing drivers.
This driver, seems to have missed these. From how the car is seen in the video, it seems like he lost his judgement while negotiating the turn. Instead of keeping left and taking the curve safely, the EV here fell into the stream that was on the extreme right. We think that putting the whole blame on the navigation app here is unfair!
The driver here, is lucky to have made it out of the situation safely. The stream reportedly had strong currents and high water levels at the time of the incident. Such cases can be very dangerous for electric vehicles. Prolonged exposure to water columns can be dangerous to EVs.
Tata Motors has given the Tiago EV an IP67-rated battery pack. This means that it can be exposed to depths of up to 1 meter (3ft) for up to 30 minutes, safely. Water and dust will not damage the battery pack or lead to disasters like short circuits or thermal runaways. The Tiago EV here seems to have been pulled out within the safe span of time.
What Could Have Possibly Gone Wrong Here?
The real issue here, seems to be the improper use of Google Maps. Some people tend to rely on on-screen instructions completely, neglecting feedback from their immediate surroundings. Others misinterpret navigation guidance. Both these could lead to serious accidents. One should pay strong attention to the road and traffic around, even when the navigation is turned on. The couple missing the signboards might have been the actual cause here. A thread on Reddit discusses the same in detail, giving more perspectives and insights...