Apple Maps Error: Highway 401 Labelled as Highway 403 in Ontario

Apple Maps continues to improve, but right now there’s a major blunder that needs to be fixed.

The iPhone maker’s mapping app currently has erroneously labelled the Macdonald—Cartier Freeway in Ontario, known as King’s Highway 401, as Highway 403. The 403 is the highway that is between Woodstock and Mississauga.

It’s worth noting Highway 401 is the busiest highway in North America. The entire stretch in Apple Maps is showing as the 403.

Looking at our screenshot below, you can see just one part of the 401 stretch between Pickering and Ajax is clearly labelled incorrectly as the 403:

What about Google Maps? The same screenshot shows the proper labelling of Highway 401:

The problem right now is the labelling error in Apple Maps isn’t just on the map for Highway 401. It also applies to navigation directions as well.

So for visitors looking to travel from Montreal to Toronto, for example, they’re being instructed by Apple to take the 403. While the numbering is incorrect, the name does properly read the Macdonald-Cartier freeway. However, for someone trying to find the 403 highway sign, they will surely be confused:

For anyone that isn’t a local, the labelling can easily be spotted, but for someone that’s new to the area, it will definitely create some frustration here.

It can be hard to trust your mapping application when simple labelling errors happen. Let’s hope Apple fixes this soon (we’re just glad Apple Maps doesn’t lead you astray in the Australian outback anymore). In the meantime, you may want to stick with Google Maps.

Thanks Bruce