Reporters at a Sydney, Australia newspaper discovered an embarrassing flaw in Google’s Map product - Google recommends a 10.4 kilometer trip, across the harbor and back, to go the thirty steps from Google’s Sydney headquarters to a hotel located across the street. The suggested route would also include a AU$3 bridge toll. Any query for driving directions from areas east, south or west of Google’s headquarters will suggest the same detour across the harbor, using a toll tunnel or bridge.
Google is blaming MapData Sciences, the Sydney-based company that supplies the mapping data to Google, for the problem. I imagine MapData is working on a fix rather urgently.
Another humorous image of this is here.
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I’ve found mistakes in Google Maps in the past, which is why I prefer Mapquest. Nothing so damning as this though. Is there no Mapquest Australia? Or were the reporters just Google-baiting?
Hmmmm
Looks more like an algorithmic error that a data-based one. Look at the pushpins, they are in the right places - so its almost certainly bad math.
it’s not that big of a deal.
it’s a glitch in the program - it happens, and i’m sure it’ll soon be corrected.
using the word “embarrassed” as part of the article title is a bit excessive
I tested it this morning it gives the same error.
Google must own the toll bridge
huh - slow news day? Not like it’s going to crash a Mars probe.
uhm - why not focus on the 8 billion directions they get right? Naturally there will be some like this from time to time - and guess what, I bet there are others too! Title is misleading and excessive just like #3 says, but is typical here. Anything for a digg right?
Amusing, but not a big deal…
The best option in Aus is whereis.com.au for directions and 131500.info if you are taking public transport.
I have found both to be fairly accurate though have had some troubles with google maps showing streets on there map but the streets are missing when you look at the satellite images I guess they don’t use the most recent pictures though
Humorous but proves that humans are still smarter compared to machines.
i am sure mapData is blaming another subcontractor who is blaming a temp.
Only a moron would follow that path. Or a journalist.
That path leads to the darkside…
it’s not that serious, besides they could enjoy a nice walk admiring the seasight!
It’s a busy road. Crossing it normally is not an option. You really do need to travel all that distance just to get to the other side of the road.
Maybe after our Australia Day Google flyovers they will sort out the one way streets throughout the city.
lol - this petty article should be removed effective immediately
all it is is a f’n glitch, plain and simple. nothing really New-news worthy - unless it’s a slow day.
you guys get off pointing out whenever google let’s a fart slip?
it’s only being covered because it’s google; if it was startup xyz’s software that caused this it would’ve passed and been resolved w/o it’s own co.’s ceo knowing what just happened
You would be suprised that this route may be correct. Every been to Sydney? No! I thought so. And is this meant to be embarrassing for Google. Once again no.
Why dont you start writing some quality content again.
surprising but rather boring I know we can do better than that….get a good laugh at http://www.randombull.net
That also happens to be the case with GPS. Sometimes it shows longer route than normal.
Yes it’s not a big deal but it IS embarrassing - I mean 10Km’s for a few meters!!
BTW, you know the tall poppy syndrome is in full swing when you’re more hated than a big corporation.
I’m just surprised they’ve gotten the directions thing happening in Australia all of a sudden, last time I checked it didn’t work…checked again, it doesn’t, at least by the .com site, but it does by the .com.au version. Go figure.
This would be the fault of the navigation data provider, not Google’s. What you get for a few million bucks is a bunch of vectors with a set length and properties (speed factor, number of lanes or width, etc.), which intersect - or not, such as an overpass. Each intersection also has properties defining what turns are allowed from each vector onto another vector.
With this set of basic rules in mind, you can imagine who was responsible for the cock-up - some guy who didn’t pay attention when he was setting the properties of a node, and thus made it non-routable, crossing the street was no longer an option. The mapping engine duly tries to find the shortest/quickest route, and the result is the screenshot you post.
This happens more often than you think, especially in newly-covered areas. I’ve found myself being told by a GPS navigator to turn left across five lanes of oncoming traffic, and a while ago, a TomTom GPS tried to take me & my car up a horse trail.
MapData Sciences Pty Ltd., shame on you!
Mike - this is b.o.r - mother fking - i.n.g
Sandy
A couple weeks ago Google Maps suggested 70+ U-turns for a simple trip from PA to NJ. It’s since been corrected but a picture of it is here: http://img266.imageshack.us/im.....urn4uh.gif.
That only means we cannot trust maps by Google
Some “glitch” in the algorithm. I’m glad NASA didn’t use Google Maps for the Mars probes. Oh wait! Didn’t the last probe kill some microbes by accident? Hmm….
C’mon, that’s the “scenic route”
Who would actually look up directions to go from one side of a street to the other? Is it really an embarrassment when it affects literally no one?
I am really starting to wonder about the focus of this blog sometimes. While it’s nice to read about every little flinch Google makes, I really don’t think it falls within the focus of what this blog was originally created and intended for, unless it’s some site being acquired by or sponsored by Google in some way.
Please report on more STARTUPS, acquisitions, new web technology improvements, startup site feature improvements, etc. And stop trying to be a Google reporting blog - there are already plenty of other blogs in that area.
I continue to read, but lately have continued to be disappointed.
I think TC just jumped the shark.
Although this is definitely an amusing and unfortunate error, it doesn’t surprise me. I’m a Sydneysider and I must say that Sydney seriously has some of the worst laid-out infrastructure in the world, particularly the CBD and North Shore. There are a plethora of one-way streets, no right turns, forced entries and exits from motorways, etc, etc. People who live and have grown up there continue to struggle with navigating the urban labyrinth. Therefore it comes as no surprise that mapping data can at times be inaccurate. Such mapping applications that include routing are still in relative infancy, so the tech is only going to improve from here.
its one of the best bridges in the world. take it on. you won’t regret it. a real treat is catching a double decker train over it and letting someone else drive so you can soak in the beauty of sydney harbour…
And it was just last week that we had
Google, a promise they just couldn’t keep…
http://techtalkblogs.com/blog/...../1841.aspx
Who uses any online mapping service to figure out the directions for something that is “30 steps” away or “across the street” …
And why on earth does TC think this is worthy of repeating? TC was just removed from my ‘bookmarks’.
Reporting that gmail is now available world wide is something that would be worthy of reporting.
Google can use a new slogan - “Google maps - the preferred direction provider for taxi drivers”
There are always error in programs.Since google is a big company it comes into focus fast.They will be double fast if error comes up that we think…But as i sad Big Name get caught fast.
Yeah, and my Garmin GPS screws up from time to time too. So what?
This post and the one about Walmart’s video page not working in Firefox the first day it released are not newsworthy. They are just common bugs. Anyone working at a tech growth company will have experienced, or done, similar minor gaffes.
3$ i guess is a lot of revenue
big deal tech
Mike, how did you get snap preview anchored to those little clouds instead of the entire URL?
Thx.
riveting journalism!
removing my TC feed, all the real news is from VentureBeat anyways
Yes, this is amusing, but your title is just ridiculous. Why all the Google hate on TC lately?
The title of this article is a good example of why online “journalism” is a just trash. The only thing “embarassing” here is the sensationalist word choice of the title and content of this article.
There goes the Fonz…And he’s over the shark!
I have to say that this article is slightly more interesting than 99% of Australians (just).
i have seen the same situation with google maps even here in US.i guess its time for google to concentarate on product improvements rather then trying to beat microsoft.
its well know that google is very agressive but they should also understand that search is the only product thats keeping them alive and they should concentate on that.
I think it is interesting that Google “blames” the provider of data. Why don’t they jump on fixing the problem. They are the supposed industry leader.
I’ve had this happen and recommend routes 100km out of the way all because of one small flaw in the logic along the way… emailed them and it was fixed within a week or so.
This was likely the case of a one way street or other similar restriction - I had the same thing happen to me in NYC when I was trying to find an address of a building that I didn’t realize was just around the corner. By foot it was a block or so but with the one way streets etc. the “road logic” required a much more obscure root.
Hardly “embarrassing”. But a good way for Google to tell if the guy who’s late coming 30 feet across the street is worth dealing with.
“It wasn’t MY Fault”. Do Evil! Do Evil! or My supplier did evil, not me!