Publications
• Smartphones have become an integral part of daily life
• Many drivers use their smartphones to find directions and destinations
• Digital maps don't always find the fastest route
Smartphones have become such a big part of how human beings interact and carry on with daily life. These devices can do a range of things that include serve a communication purpose, take photographs, record videos, and even show you where to go by means of digital maps. It is the latter which is in the spotlight here, and how useful (or not) digital maps can be when you need directions to your destination.
Have you ever gotten lost because of a map navigation app? Email us your story.
Know where to go
Most of the time, people know where they are going, but there's always the odd occasion when you need assistance when going to a new location. People rarely use physical maps these days, and this is where smartphones come in.
Google Maps is the most popular go-to method, as it comes standard on almost all smartphones. It features probably the most pin-point estimates on how and when you'll arrive at your point of interest.
READ: Switch the tape! This is how people used cassette navigation back in the 70s
Digital maps suggest different routes, but it is not necessarily always the quickest route available. You might know of a side road through a residential area and the map not.
As you begin to drive more and frequent areas, you get familiar with more roads and this makes the driver less reliant on a phone. Also, the last thing you want to do is find yourself lost at night with a dead mobile device and no idea where you are.
Drivers of transportation apps like Uber and Bolt have also contributed to more traffic on the road because they rely on navigation apps.
Compiled by: Robin Classen
