Australian Police Warn Motorists Against Relying on Apple iOS 6 Maps

The inaccuracies in Apple's new mapping application have been well publicized. Apple has acknowledged issues, and CEO Tim Cook has even issued a public apology for the maps fiasco in iOS6. It's been a couple months since Apple replaced Google Maps with its own app and the company is still working to improve things.

Although overhauling the maps app is no small undertaking, we're willing to bet Apple wishes they could change the PR surrounding Maps, especially since Australian authorities are calling the inaccuracies in Apple Maps a potentially life-threatening issue. That's a serious accusation, but after several motorists ended up in a semi-arid national park where temperatures can reach almost 115 degrees Fahrenheit and there is no water supply, the severity of the issue is clear.

After responding to calls from several stranded drivers, police in the town of Mildura, Victoria are suggesting people use other mapping applications until Apple fixes the issues. In this case, the problem stems from the fact that Apple's Maps application shows Mildura near a part of Murray Sunset National Park. Mildura is actually located about 40 miles to the northeast of the park. After following the Apple Maps app, police have said motorists have been stranded for a day without food or water and have had to walk long distances through dangerous terrain to get phone reception.