GPS could drive you off a cliff in England

GPS units are usually great for navigation. But these devices are stil far from being perfect and can provide wrong information and directions. An extreme example has shown up in England, where drivers have almost driven off a 100 foot cliff because of GPS guidance. Drivers going to the village of Crackpot are routed onto a dirt road that ends in a 100 foot drop. While no one has actually tumbled down the cliff yet, several apparently have come perilously close.

Users of the Smartnav GPS navigation system are affected by this problem, which apparently uses the road as the preferred route when going to and through the town.

Local officials have asked for permission to install warning signs next to the road. In addition, Smartnav has temporarily removed the routing from their computers. A spokesman for Trafficmaster, the makers of Smartnav, told the BBC : "We believe our system would not have been responsible for taking motorists on unsuitable roads in the first place."