Can we trust Google Maps to get us anywhere anymore?

This past weekend, I was driving home from a wonderful break in the country. I usually use Google Maps to guide me home on longer drives, even if I have driven that route before. It’s more of a comfort than a necessity. However, it tried its level best to take me on an unwanted adventure.

To get home from the tiny town I visited, I had a choice between a faster toll route or the longer scenic mountain pass that runs alongside it. I selected the “Avoid tolls” toggle before I left, thinking that the app would suggest I use the pass. After all, it was the best alternative available. That wasn’t the case at all. Maps instead suggested two hugely divergent routes that would’ve taken me two hours north or 90 minutes south of the best route. Absentmindedly, I came so close to taking the suggested deviations. And if I hadn’t curiously glanced at my Android Auto display, I would’ve ended up further from home.

This incident opened my eyes to the larger problem affecting Google Maps’ navigation reliability, especially on the open road. Having read countless takes online about Maps guiding drivers on obtuse routes, I’d say it’s a fairly wide-reaching issue. So, if you have a story to tell, I’d love to hear it. I’m sure other readers would too.

Here are the questions:

• Has Google Maps ever gotten you lost? If so, tell us about the experience.
• What’s the worst place Google Maps has ever taken you?
• Do you feel that Maps has grown more inaccurate and less reliable over time?
• What is your preferred navigation app on Android, and why do you pick it?
• Would you pay a premium for a Google Maps that offers smarter navigation and more contextually aware features?

Be sure to vote in the poll below, too!

👇Sound off in the comments with your Google Maps adventure anecdotes and opinions.