Dear sat nav, shall we stop and ask directions?

Motorists waste an average 29 hours a year going the wrong way because of sat navs, according to a new study.

And many admit talking to the electronic devices as though they were real people.

Black cab app mytaxi said the figure was based on analysis of the proportion of journeys delayed by satellite navigation misdirection and the average length of the hold-ups.

A poll of 2,000 drivers revealed that 27% cite confusing directions as the most annoying aspect of sat navs.

Almost half (47%) of those surveyed have had a ‘verbal disagreement’ with their device, while 31% admit to shouting at it ‘as if it was a real person’.

More than half of respondents admitted they switch off and pay little attention to road signs and landmarks once a sat nav is leading the way.

Mytaxi general manager Andy Jones said: ‘Sat nav technology is undoubtedly a huge help to many people, but it is certainly not flawless.

‘The results can be both frustrating and comical, as evidenced by the huge number of misadventures we have recorded.’

This article first appeared on our sister site LocalGov.