The SMH reports that James Kim took a bad road possibly due to the advice of Google Maps, and that taking the road cost him his life.
Certainly if proven true, this could be a world first: Google kills CNet journalist.
From the SMH:
According to Associated Press, drivers are advised not to take Bear Camp Road to Gold Beach in winter, the route taken by the Kims.
“Authorities say the cyber-savvy family may have plucked the route from Grants Pass to Gold Beach from an online mapping service, unaware of the elements,” AP reported.
“Despite its impassable snowdrifts and single lane, Bear Camp Road is offered as the preferred route on some websites and on-board-directions software available on some new cars. And most of those have no business in those mountains in the winter.”
When using the Yahoo Maps, MapQuest and Google Maps online services to plot directions from Grants Pass to Gold Beach, Yahoo and MapQuest both recommend taking the same, safer highway route, while Google suggests a shortcut through roads that become dangerous in winter.
I suppose on a positive note, atleast for the Kim family, Google isn’t short on cash for a settlement.
