Tourists in Italy Led Astray by Google Maps; Company Says It's Working to Fix the Problem

Leaders of the town on the Italian island blamed the Google Maps app for directing drivers and hikers in search of deserted beaches and other scenic points onto routes that left them stuck or lost on winding dirt roads and trails in the Supramonte mountain range. Last week, they placed signs around the area warning tourists not to follow the mapping app.

On Wednesday, town officials said in a Facebook post that Google told them it was working to rectify the situation.

"Too many sedans and hatchbacks are getting stuck on unpassable tracks, sometimes offroad vehicles, too," Baunei Mayor Salvatore Corrias told CNN. "All because they follow Google Maps, whose instructions are often misleading on our roads."

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The Supramonte mountains are popular with hikers and rock climbers. The mountains cover five villages and are marked by sinkholes, deep canyons and rocky peaks, according to Sardinia's tourism site. Those who got stuck were mostly tourists trying to reach famed beaches on the Gulf of Orosei.

Such Google Maps mishaps have taken travelers and locals alike on accidental detours in other areas, too. In June, some 100 drivers in Denver who opted to follow the mapping app's advice to avoid a traffic jam ended up stuck in a muddy field. One of them, Connie Monsees, told ABC News that she didn't blame the app, but rather society's reliance on technology.

"I don't know that it's so much about Google," Monsees said. "It's about us – that we want so badly for life to be efficient that we try to take shortcuts that aren't really necessary."

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