Cape Town, South Africa – A couple from Los Angeles is taking legal action against Google Maps after they claim the app directed them to a dangerous neighborhood in South Africa, where they were violently attacked at gunpoint. Jason and Katharine Zoladz, who is the regional director of the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s LA office, allege that the GPS app sent them to the Nyanga neighborhood, known locally as “Hell Run,” despite warnings about the area’s history of violent attacks against tourists.
According to the lawsuit filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court, the couple had used Google Maps to navigate from their Airbnb to Cape Town’s airport in October. The Zoladzes, who planned to drive to a wildlife preserve in the Kalahari Desert, had intended to return their rental car for an SUV before the attack occurred.
The neighborhood, which has been the site of numerous violent attacks on tourists by armed bandits, was reportedly known for gangs of robbers assaulting cars and stealing valuables. The lawsuit describes how the attackers smashed the car window with a paving brick, causing severe injuries to Jason Zoladz, and the couple was robbed at gunpoint before the perpetrators fled the scene.
As a result of the attack, Jason Zoladz required extensive reconstructive surgery and now lives with metal plates in his jaw. Meanwhile, Katharine Zoladz was left with lasting emotional damage. The couple also alleges that Google Maps continued to direct people through the dangerous area even after the attack, although the company agreed to stop after three weeks.
A Google spokesperson commented that the company takes driver safety seriously and is reviewing the lawsuit. Meanwhile, the Zoladzes are seeking unspecified damages in their case against the tech giant.
The lawsuit also includes claims that both US and South African officials had been in discussions with Google Maps to prevent the app from directing people through the dangerous area. However, it is alleged that the company only took action to divert users from the Nyanga neighborhood after the attack had already taken place. This incident raises questions about the responsibility of mapping apps to ensure the safety of their users and the potential consequences of inaccurate directions.