Google Maps updates app after recent tourist attack in Cape Town

Google Maps gets an update

Tech company Google, the City of Cape Town and the Department of Transport recently addressed the issues around identifying crime hotspots in and around the mother city and are focusing on improving the information available to tourists about which areas to avoid when travelling.

As reported by Tourism Update, Google Country Director Dr Alistair Mokoena, recently spoke at the signing of a co-operation agreement between the Department of Transport and Google in Cape Town, saying that updates had now been made to the Google Maps app.

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Mokoena said that the unsafe route, which had directed an American tourist through Nyanga where he had been brutally attacked, had been marked as an area to avoid for travellers.

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Mokoena added that Google had met with the necessary parties to find solutions following the attack.

“There is a specific area around Nyanga, around the airport intersection, and we are looking at that to ensure it doesn’t become a feature when we recommend the fastest possible routes.” Mokoena said.

“Now, if you’re coming from the airport, and let’s say you want to connect to Simon’s Town, you are able to connect with routes that do not take you through this crime hotspot,” he said.

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Apple ignores City’s attempts for a sit-down

In other news, the City of Cape Town has also reportedly requested a meeting with Apple in an effort to discuss changing routes on their Maps app as well, to help prevent app users from being transported through these crime hotspots in Cape Town.

According to Cape Town Etc., Apple has not yet responded to the City’s request.

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“We have reached out to Apple, but we haven’t even got an answer. It took us a heck of a long time to get a confirmed sit-down with Google. These multi-nationals are hard to get a hold of,” Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said as per Cape Town Etc..

“We haven’t got a confirmed sit-down with Apple, but we will keep trying.” Hill-Lewis added.

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