Facebook using AI to map roads

[rslade]

Facebook (yes, that Facebook, the one that had to admit it goofed on Kids Messenger) is using artificial intelligence to map previously undesignated roads on digital maps.

"The maps could be used for disaster response and urban planning."

You know all those stories about people being killed because they were sent, by mapping systems, over roads that didn't exist, or were closed, or were completely inappropriate for vehicles?  Can you see where I'm going with this? ...

[TA-Hofer]

"Recalculating."
"In 300 yards, turn right."
...
"Turn right."
[sound of crashing glass and screams as the car drives through the entrance of the mall]

[dcontesti]

In Ireland on vacation, my significant other decided to rely on the GPS on his phone for directions from Dublin to Glendalough in the Wicklow mountains.....so we started on the main highway M50 then the M11.  Suddenly the GPS said to turn off the highway, so we followed the instructions....that was a mistake.....we wound up on a fire road through the Wicklow mountains.....one lane, so if you met oncoming traffic you need to either pull over into some pretty dicey space or have them.

So what was supposed to be about 1 1/2 hour trip turned into a six hour experience.

I am never trusting GPSs again, especially if Facebook has anything to do with it.

d