google embarrassed in australia

Reporters at a Sydney, Australia newspaper discovered an embarrassing flaw in Google?s Map product - Google recommends a 10.4 kilometer trip, across the harbor and back, to go the thirty steps from Google?s Sydney headquarters to a hotel located across the street. The suggested route would also include a AU$3 bridge toll. Any query for driving directions from areas east, south or west of Google?s headquarters will suggest the same detour across the harbor, using a toll tunnel or bridge.

Google is blaming MapData Sciences, the Sydney-based company that supplies the mapping data to Google, for the problem. I imagine MapData is working on a fix rather urgently.

Another humorous image of this is here.