Make a U-turn if possible: 63% of drivers say GPS got them lost

11 years ago

“The majority of U.S. drivers who have used GPS technology say they’ve been led astray at least once – either by being sent in the wrong direction or by receiving ‘complex, confusing and incorrect routes,’ according to a recent online survey conducted on behalf of Michelin Travel and Lifestyle, publishers of traditional maps, guidebooks and Web-based travel tools,” Jeanne Cooper reports for The San Francisco Chronicle.

“And despite the presence of Silicon Valley, the U.S. West has the lowest use of GPS as a primary guide to locate unfamiliar destinations — just 25 percent of drivers — compared to the peak of 35 percent in the Northeast, according to the Harris Interactive survey of more than 2,200 U.S. adults in April, Michelin announced yesterday,” Cooper reports. “Of all drivers who use GPS , they say it has misled them an average of 4.4 times, Michelin’s press release stated. That number is even higher among younger adults age 18-34 (I’m thinking they may also use it more often), who reported being misdirected by GPS 6.3 times on average, per Michelin, with 7 percent of all surveyed claiming to have been sent astray more than 10 times.”

Cooper reports, “Nearly 40 percent of those surveyed primarily rely on maps, printed directions, atlases and guidebooks to find their way to unfamiliar destinations, according to Michelin, trumping the 30 percent who depend on GPS. Nearly half (46 percent) of drivers with cars still keep road maps and/or atlases in their vehicles, including 56 percent of those age 55 and over — the largest age group, ‘not surprisingly,’ Michelin noted. That number drops steadily by age group, but even 34 percent of whippersnappers age 18-34 have one of those quaint papery things stashed in their dash or elsewhere.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: It’s all Apple Maps’ fault. 😉

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “theloniousMac” for the heads up.]