Apple and Google agree to change sat-nav directions after two killed in head-on crash

Tech companies Google and Apple have agreed to make changes to their sat-nav instructions after a coroner warned that unclear directions may have contributed to a head-on crash which killed two women.

An inquest heard Amal Mohamed Ahmed, 35, died after she drove the wrong way down a slip road on the A5 near Milton Keynes, and hit the other car head-on at speed.

The crash on the southbound A5 at Little Brickhill also killed Tracy Haybittle, 58, who was driving in the other direction.

Assistant coroner Sean Cummings warned in a Prevention of Future Deaths report that changes needed to be made to stop further crashes at the site after Ms Ahmed appeared to have followed "audio directions from her sat-nav application".

He said Ms Ahmed had been using a satnav to direct her to Queensway in Bletchley when the crash happened in November 2023.

A passenger of one of the vehicles was treated for life-threatening and life-changing injuries.

Dr Cummings said in his report that signage at the junction designed to stop drivers going the wrong way up the slip road was also inadequate and could be confusing.

He said that after the collision, attending police officers saw three further vehicles perform exactly the same manoeuvre as Ms Ahmed and try to head down the slip road in the wrong direction.

Local people had warned it was common for drivers to make the mistake, said the coroner in his report.

National Highways has since erected signs to prevent motorists from accessing the slip road.

Apple said it had investigated and found no data which would have contributed to the crash, however it was adding greater clarification to its voice instructions to guide drivers at the site.

A spokesperson said: "We trust that the steps we are taking will be helpful to try to avoid any future such tragic events."

Google said it was "deeply saddened" to hear of the deaths and while it was not clear whether Google Maps was involved, it was taking similar steps to improve safety by tweaking its voice instructions.

The company said: "This will involve an amended audio prompt as a driver approaches a junction where they would cross an overpass: 'after the overpass, turn right'. We hope that this will provide clearer guidance for drivers and help reduce the risk that they make an incorrect turn."

Satnav company TomTom said it would also be updating its instructions for drivers in the area.

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