INDIA, Nov 30: This question is being raised in India after a tragic accident where three men lost their lives when their car veered off an unfinished bridge and plunged into a riverbed in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The incident occurred on Sunday, and while the police investigation is ongoing, authorities suspect that the route was suggested by Google Maps.

Earlier this year, part of the bridge had collapsed due to flooding. Locals were aware of the hazard and avoided the bridge, but the three victims, unfamiliar with the area, were unaware of the situation. There were no barricades or warning signs indicating the bridge was incomplete.

The police have filed a complaint naming four engineers from the state’s road department and an unnamed official from Google Maps, accusing them of culpable homicide. Google has confirmed it is cooperating with the investigation, according to a spokesperson who spoke to BBC Hindi.

This tragic event has brought attention to India’s underdeveloped road infrastructure and ignited a debate on whether navigation apps like Google Maps should be held accountable for such accidents. Some critics argue that the app failed to provide accurate information, while others point to government negligence for not properly securing the site.

Google Maps, the most popular navigation app in India, has around 60 million active users and plays a crucial role in powering services for ride-sharing, e-commerce, and food delivery platforms. However, the app has often been criticized for providing incorrect directions, sometimes leading to fatal accidents. In 2021, a man from Maharashtra drowned after driving into a dam, allegedly following directions from Google Maps. Last year, two young doctors from Kerala also died when they drove into a river while using the app.

So, how does Google Maps stay updated with changes on the road? GPS signals from users’ apps track traffic patterns, while updates from governments and users about closures or traffic jams are prioritized. However, Google relies on satellite imagery, Google Street View, and government notifications to confirm changes and update the map.

According to Ashish Nair, founder of mapping platform Potter Maps and a former Google Maps employee, navigation apps cannot be held accountable for accidents because their terms of service warn users to use their own judgment and that the information provided might differ from actual conditions. Nair also notes that it is extremely difficult for a platform like Google, which oversees maps globally, to keep up with every change happening on the roads.

Moreover, India lacks a robust system for reporting road changes, unlike countries like Singapore, where such systems exist. Nair states that India’s large population and rapid infrastructure development complicate the collection of real-time data, meaning that inaccurate maps are likely to persist until the government improves data collection and sharing.

In terms of legal responsibility, lawyers remain divided. Advocate Saima Khan points out that India's Information Technology (IT) Act treats digital platforms like Google Maps as intermediaries, protecting them from liability for third-party information. However, Khan also suggests that if it can be shown that Google Maps failed to update its data despite receiving accurate information, the company could potentially be held liable for negligence.