The German Automobile Club (ADAC) had warned that there would be problems on the roads on Thursday due to Ascension Day and the start of a four-day holiday weekend for many, but no one expected that a Google Maps glitch would exacerbate the problem.
Google Maps indicated that multiple sections of motorways around Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, and other major German cities were closed on Thursday, but at the time the roads were open with traffic flowing as expected.
Parts of the Netherlands and Belgium were also affected.
Social media quickly filled with complaints as commuters detoured for miles, delivery drivers missed appointments, and holiday travellers took to backroads, zigzagging unnecessarily on smaller regional roads.
"They can't have closed ALL the motorways," Bild quoted one Facebook user as posting. "Especially because the traffic news isn't reporting anything."
Google acknowledged the issue by midday, attributing the false closures to erroneous data feeds from third-party sources. The company urged users to report inaccuracies and promised a swift resolution. By late afternoon, most of the phantom closures had disappeared from the app.
“The information in Google Maps comes from various sources (including) a combination of third-party providers, public sources, and user input,” a spokesperson told N-tv. “In general, these sources provide a strong basis for comprehensive and up-to-date map material.”
Screenshots from the Google Maps app shared by N-tv show red dots that indicate traffic disruptions scattered around Dortmund and Essen, as well as on highways going and coming from Frankfurt.
Thursday’s incident came at an awkward time for many road users, with traffic already heavy on account of the Ascension Day public holiday. Congestion and delays are expected on the network again on Sunday – as holidaymakers who have taken advantage of the long weekend begin returning home.
READ ALSO: Where drivers in Germany can expect the worst traffic around Ascension Day
Is Google Maps reliable in Germany?
This isn’t the first time that Google Maps has created problems for motorists in Germany in recent weeks.
At the beginning of the month, the app informed users that motorway tunnels in Thuringia were closed. The complaint was corrected following complaints from the police.
Until Google confirms that it has identified and definitively fixed the issues with its software, drivers are advised to double-check their journey plans.
What are the alternatives to Google Maps?
Google Maps is not the only navigation tool available in Germany.
HERE WeGo offers robust offline maps and real-time traffic updates.
For people who value their privacy and / or prefer open-source solutions, OsmAnd and MapFactor Navigator both use data from OpenStreetMap, as well as community updates.
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