Google Maps lawsuit overview:
- Who: Jason Zoladz and Katharine Zoladz filed a lawsuit against Google LLC.
- Why: The Zoladzes claim Google Maps directed them to drive through a dangerous part of Cape Town, South Africa — despite Google allegedly knowing it was unsafe for tourists. The couple says they were violently assaulted and robbed during the drive.
- Where: The lawsuit was filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court in California.
Google Maps failed to warn a California couple before routing them through a violent area in South Africa in which they were assaulted during a robbery in October 2023, a new lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiffs Jason Zoladz and Katharine Zoladz’s lawsuit claims Google failed to warn them about the “grave dangers” they faced after its Google Maps directed them through an area dubbed the “Hell Run” during their drive to Cape Town International Airport.
The couple argues Google had previously been notified by officials from both South Africa and the U.S. State Department that the area was “extremely dangerous” for tourists driving rental cars, but continued to route them through it regardless.
Cape Town government and tourism officials allegedly asked Google to stop directing tourists through the area, but the company ultimately decided to make no changes to its routing, the couple’s lawsuit claims.
“Three weeks after the attack on the Zoladzes, Google finally agreed to stop Google Maps from directing users to travel these dangerous routes. That was too late for the Zoladzes,” the Google Maps lawsuit states.
Google knew Cape Town route was unsafe, lawsuit says
The Google Maps lawsuit alleges that a group of armed assailants attacked the Zoladzes after they stopped their rental vehicle at a red light.
The group threw a brick through the couple’s window, dragged them from the vehicle and stole their credit cards, the Google Maps lawsuit claims.
The Zoladzes argue a Google spokesperson had acknowledged the dangers of the Cape Town Google Maps route prior to their alleged robbery, saying, without knowledge of those dangers, that drivers are “actually flying blind.”
“Google could have easily programmed Google Maps to avoid directing travelers into the dangerous routes and to provide real time notification of the hazards,” the Google Maps lawsuit states.
The Zoladzes’ lawsuit claims Google is guilty of multiple forms of negligence. The plaintiffs are demanding a jury trial and requesting an award of general, special and punitive damages.
In a separate lawsuit filed in September 2023, a woman claims Google bears responsibility for her husband’s death after he drove off a collapsed bridge and drowned, allegedly while following directions from Google Maps.
Has Google Maps directed you to drive through a dangerous area with no warning? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiffs are represented by Susan Posluszny and Gregory S. Dovel of Dovel & Luner LLP.
The Google Maps lawsuit is Zoladz, et al. v. Google LLC, Case No. 24CV430061, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara.
Don’t Miss Out!
Check out our list of Class Action Lawsuits and Class Action Settlements you may qualify to join!
Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:
5 thoughts onLawsuit claims Google Maps route led to violent robbery
Google maps had me on a dark back road trying to get to Nashville! I hurried up and turned around.
Please add me to the lawsuit. Goggle maps have lead me to a river. A person house who thought I was someone suspicious. Lead me to a cornfield. I can go on.
Please add me,, when I have used Google Maps directions are not usually accurate and routes are not available for best commute nor accurately updated info L
If Google was to use “Google Maps to avoid directing travelers into the dangerous routes” then someone would sue them for being “racist”
this has also happen to me i searched waterfalls in my google maps me the kids and husband now got in the truck and drove to see a lovely water fall but never knew the end of the road was a cliff google maps said their was a road i was so scared kids were screaming i couldn’t even get out of the truck to switch with my husband to the driver set to ez are way out of this mess .. i felt as why backing up one mistake and we all would be done for i had to shut off music tell kids to not say a word so i can get us out safely from this terrible night mar the kids were so up set to not see the wonderful waterfall that we calmed to see on google maps once i got us out thank god safely all 6 kids started crying cause they wanted to see the waterfall i told them you know what well just go to the beach ..