Apple’s (AAPL) iOS Maps application is terrible. We all know it. The service is so bad that CEO Tim Cook issued a public apology shortly after it launched, and vowed the company would right the situation as soon as possible. It has only been a few months since Apple launched its Google Maps replacement and while that’s not much time to overhaul such a massive undertaking, the company probably wishes it could have improved the service before Australian authorities issued a public warning saying Apple Maps is so bad, it might kill you.
“Local Police have been called to assist distressed motorists who have become stranded within the Murray-Sunset National Park after following directions on their Apple i-phone,” police in Victoria, Australia said in a public warning issued on Monday. “Tests on the mapping system by police confirm the mapping systems lists Mildura in the middle of the Murray Sunset National Park, approximately 70km away from the actual location of Mildura.”
The warnings continued, “Police are extremely concerned as there is no water supply within the Park and temperatures can reach as high as 46 degrees, making this a potentially life threatening issue. Some of the motorists located by police have been stranded for up to 24 hours without food or water and have walked long distances through dangerous terrain to get phone reception.”
Apple’s Maps app has been called a lot of things, but seeing the solution is called “life threatening” by a police force has to be a tough blow for Apple, which regularly uses the phrase “it just works” when describing its products and solutions.
Victoria police note that they have had to rescue a total of six people over the past two months who because lost and stranded while navigating using Apple’s Maps application.
UPDATE: According to a report from The Guardian, Apple has fixed the issue with its map of Murray Sunset National Park that was causing people to get lost.
