I have an app in the App Store that is crashing attempting to generate directions using the MapKit. The problem is I am receiving an empty string value for the first row of an array of steps (MKRouteStep) contained in the MKRoute object returned from MKRouteResponse. The MKRouteStep.directions string is empty for only the first row, the other rows have correct strings. The MKRouteStep.polyline is present on all returned rows, including the first row with the missing directions string. My app works with no problem on iOS 9, but crashes using iOS 10, 11 and 12. This problem only recently appeared, it had been working correctly for several years. I have tested my app by generating the same directions using Apple Maps, and the Apple Maps results have a directions string on their first row, but I get an empty string. Anyone else having this problem or know of a solution?
MKRouteStep.directions returns empty string for first row
Please file a bug report for this, and include a specific example of the route you ask the API for, and the returned results.
This problem has been solved in iOS 15. Now the first step has an instruction to start the route.