Just catching up to this story, it apparently got lost in transit (or in a spam filter).
From Rest of World, April 2:
The war has led to mass GPS-jamming, forcing drivers to rely on memory, landmarks, and phone calls.
As war raged across the Persian Gulf in the first week of March, delivery driver Saeed Ahmed continued making deliveries in Dubai. Navigating down Al Asayel street, the 32-year-old driver for Lulu Hypermarket followed the blue navigation line on his phone as it guided him to a customer. Then, without warning, the route on his map shifted. The street he was on became invisible.
Ahmed pulled over and called the customer. The address was correct. The map was not.
As the conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran rages on for the second month, gig workers say these kinds of GPS-related disruptions have become routine. Military forces across the region are increasingly deploying electronic systems that interfere with Global Navigation Satellite System signals, including GPS, to defend against drones and missile attacks. These systems can jam signals entirely or spoof them by feeding false location data to receivers. The interference often spills into civilian life, disrupting the lives of millions of people who rely on tools like maps. For delivery drivers, the breakdown is both immediate and disorienting.
The impact of GPS jamming extends beyond consumer-oriented mapping tools. Recent data by maritime intelligence firm Windward indicates that GPS jamming affected more than 1,650 ships in the Middle East on March 7, up 55% from the previous week. Vessels were incorrectly placed on land and at sea in Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Nearly 1,100 ships were impacted within 24 hours following U.S. strikes on Iran on February 28.
“Any jamming and spoofing signals will affect any GNSS receiver within range,” Thomas Withington, an independent electronic warfare specialist, told Rest of World. “This includes smartphones and any device capable of receiving such signals.”
GPS blocking and jamming have become so common that drivers can no longer trust their maps, they told Rest of World. Ahmed said even routine trips have become unpredictable. “We found it very troublesome. Usually, we verify the building name because we know the roads. But in unfamiliar areas, we have to keep calling the customers. Deliveries get delayed, and customers get annoyed.”....
....MUCH MORE
Somewhat related in an Uberish sort of way, 2015's:
Uber Introduces Its Video Knock-off of "The Knowledge"
And more dramatically, 2019's:
15 Tips to Get Safely Home Following an EMP
