Family sues Google after navigation system misdirects man through collapsed bridge, causing his death

Google's navigation system is undeniably a valuable tool for those unfamiliar with a city, seeking directions to their destinations. However, this navigation system also exhibits a number of flaws that remain unaddressed by the tech giant.

On September 30, 2022, a US man named Philip Paxson tragically drove his car into a river after being misdirected by Google's navigation, leading him onto a bridge that had collapsed a decade earlier. Mr. Paxson, a father of a nine-year-old girl, was discovered deceased by state troopers.

Now, Mr. Paxson's family is taking legal action against Google for their heart-wrenching loss. His mother-in-law told The Guardian that Mr. Paxson had been returning from his daughter's birthday celebration and had relied on the Google navigation system, which tragically contributed to his untimely death.

"It was a dark and rainy night, and he was following his GPS, which guided him onto a concrete road that abruptly ended at a river. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends. This was an entirely preventable tragedy. We are grieving his loss," her statement conveyed.

Google's response

Google has expressed its condolences for Mr. Paxson's passing in an official statement and confirmed that they are reviewing the lawsuit. The statement from Google states, "We extend our deepest sympathies to the Paxson family. Our aim is to provide accurate routing information in Maps, and we are currently reviewing this lawsuit," as reported by The Guardian.

Mr. Paxson's legal team has also alleged that numerous individuals attempted to alert Google to the collapsed bridge, even including an email from a concerned individual, but the company did not respond to the correspondence.

Paxson, unfortunately, not the first

Philip Paxson is not the first person to have lost their life due to misdirection by Google's navigation system. In 2020, an 18-year-old motorist perished after he and a friend were stranded in their vehicle for a week, following a Google Maps route through the country's perilous "road of bones."

In 2019, a truck driver in Jakarta, Indonesia, drove off a cliff while following the Google Maps route, which was intended only for bikers.

In 2015, a 51-year-old woman lost her life in Indiana when her husband, Iftikar Hussain, used Nissan's Sentra built-in GPS and drove onto an unmarked toll road that led to a demolished bridge. Hussain subsequently filed a lawsuit against the state of Indiana due to the absence of barricades.