Google issued an apology after sending drivers on dangerous desert road detours between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
At least one of the detours led drivers to a road that left them stranded.
Driving the news: Many drivers took the alternative route suggested by Google Maps to avoid a dust storm that closed portions of Interstate 15.
- The detours took drivers on remote paths in the Nevada desert and caused several drivers to get stuck on unpaved dirt roads.
- A viral video on TikTok showed a long line of cars on an unpaved road.
- Another couple traveling in the opposite direction also experienced the detour and realized they should have stayed on the familiar highway.
- The detours caused gridlock and stranded drivers for several hours, with some needing their cars towed due to damage caused by rough terrain.
Google’s apology: “We apologize for the incident that happened last weekend and can confirm that we’ll no longer route drivers traveling between Las Vegas and Barstow down through those roads,” Google said in a statement. “Today, drivers making that trip are being routed through I-15, which has been reopened.”
