Three killed after Google Maps guides car off unfinished bridge in India

Google Maps failed to update for the bridge’s closure following flood damage in 2022, in Uttar Pradesh.

Three men lost their lives when their car, guided by an outdated version of Google Maps, directed them to drive off the edge of an unfinished bridge in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Kaushal Kumai, Vivek Kumar, and Amit Kumar were returning from a wedding in Gurugram when their vehicle was directed onto the bridge spanning the Ramganga River between Faridpur and Dataganj.

At around 2:30pm on Saturday, the car plunged 30ft to the ground, resulting in the deaths of all three passengers.

The bodies were not discovered until the next morning, trapped inside the mangled wreckage. Investigators revealed that the men had been following directions from Google Maps, which had failed to update for the bridge’s closure after flood damage in 2022.

The bridge, which had no warning signs of its inaccessibility, was left incomplete after the flood and posed a serious risk to drivers unaware of its condition.

Authorities have since questioned four engineers and a Google Maps representative, as the incident raises serious concerns about the accuracy and safety of digital navigation tools.

Family members have expressed outrage, demanding accountability for the failure to secure the site properly.

"This tragedy could have been prevented if proper safety measures had been in place," one relative said.