Australian Police Warn Against Apple Maps, Citing “Potentially Life Threatening” Misdirection

Police in Victoria have urged motorists to avoid the use of Apple Maps, warning that faulty directions on the much-criticized app have left motorists stranded in the Australian outback for up to 24 hours without food or water.

The press release stated that tests on the mapping system confirmed that it shows the city of Mildura as being in the middle of Murray Sunset National Park, when in fact it is located about 70 kilometers away. The statement from Victoria Police said this is a “potentially life threatening situation” because there is no water supply within the park and temperatures can reach 46 degrees Celsius.

Its been noted many times that Apple Maps’ most egregious errors are for countries outside the US. Berlin was renamed and addresses disappeared completely in Jakarta and now, apparently, Aussie iOS users could find themselves unwittingly starring in their own real-life version of “Picnic At Hanging Rock.”

The decision to remove Google Maps from iOS and replace it with the error-filled Apple Maps forced Tim Cook to issue an apology in September and recommended several competing apps. Apple fired the manager who oversaw the Maps team last month and many have  speculated that the October resignation of Scott Forstall, the SVP of iOS Software, was related to the furor. Apple is also reportedly recruiting ex-Google Maps developers in an effort to improve iOS maps.

Image from Victoria Police News