Google Maps can’t explain why it falsely labeled German autobahns as closed

Ars contacted Google to see if the glitch’s cause has been uncovered. Engadget reported that the glitch only lasted a couple of hours.

A Google spokesperson previously said Google was investigating available information to figure out what happened. Apparently, Google only learned of the glitch after users who braved the supposedly closed roads started reporting the errors, prompting Google to remove incorrect stop signs one by one.

Google’s spokesperson told German media that the company wouldn’t comment on the specific case but noted that Google Maps draws information from three key sources: individual users, public sources (like transportation authorities), and third-party providers.

It wasn’t the first time that German drivers have encountered odd roadblocks using Google Maps. Earlier this month, Google Maps “incorrectly displayed motorway tunnels” as closed in another part of Germany, MSN reported. Now, drivers in the area are being advised to check multiple traffic news sources before making travel plans.

While Google has yet to confirm what actually happened, one regional publication noted that the German Automobile Club, Europe’s largest automobile association, had warned that there may be heavy traffic due to the holiday. Google’s glitch may have been tied to traffic forecasts rather than current traffic reports. Google also recently added artificial intelligence features to Google Maps, which could have hallucinated the false traffic jams.