A family from Bihar on their way to Goa for a holiday reportedly had to endure a harrowing night in the Bhimgad forest in Karnataka’s Belagavi district after relying on Google Maps for directions.
It is learnt that a 25 km ‘shortcut’ led the family into the forest and not to Porvorim. Recently in a tragic incident in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district, three individuals lost their lives after their car, misdirected by Google Maps, veered off an under-construction bridge and plunged into the Ramganga river.
In Goa a 22-year-old businessman from Gujarat was feared drowned after the car he was driving slipped into the river from the ferry ramp at St Estevam.
One probable reason attributed for the accident is that their rental car mistakenly followed the Global Positioning System (GPS) directions to the ferry ramp.
These incidents bring to the fore the glitches that can occur in the GPS which can at times prove dangerous. The glitches can occur when a GPS system drops a signal or provides inaccurate position information.
Potential obstructions like tall buildings, dense foliage, or even extreme weather conditions that can affect GPS signals. Sometimes a simple restart of the mobile can refresh the GPS connection and resolve glitches.
The reboot helps the GPS system to recalibrate, which can lead to better signal reception. Using Wi-Fi positioning or cellular network location is another option.
