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Can Google Be Blamed for a Car Accident?

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June 4, 2010
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Remember the infamous 1992 case of the woman who sued McDonald's after she burned herself on coffee she had bought from the fast-food joint? We've got a modern-day equivalent: a Utah woman who is suing Google because Google Maps gave her bad directions. Apparently Google Maps instructed her to cross the street and she was hit by a car (it was dark). She's hoping to collect medical expenses and punitive damages. We're certainly sympathetic to anyone who suffers injury in a car accident, but have we really gotten to the point where technology should be expected to replace common sense? I hope not. In the meantime, expect a whole new series of jokes along the lines of Q: Why did the chicken cross the road? A: Because Google Maps told it to.
--Editorial Director Steve Fox

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