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Uber drivers could soon be considered Uber employees, and that could get expensive

Uber drivers may finally be recognized as official Uber employees — and that could be uber-costly.

Officials in New York have ultimately ruled in favor of three former Uber drivers who filed a federal complaint against the transportation giant when their unemployment insurance claims were not accepted. This led to a two-year standoff that has called into question exactly how Uber classifies its extensive army of drivers. This week the New York State Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board  decided that drivers can be classified as employees. Alas, the ruling does not apply to the three original plaintiffs, only to other “similarly situated” drivers.

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“We won and they lost,” New York Taxi Workers Alliance Executive Director Bhairavi Desai told Politico. The Alliance further believes that this decision marks a broad precedent that could create a new “safety net” for drivers, who have long complained of being unfairly treated by Uber, Lyft, and other ride-hailing companies.

Uber does have the option of contesting the Board’s conclusion, though it will have to do so in New York state court. Uber spokeswoman Alix Anfang did not say whether the company will be pursuing this option, instead saying, “We disagree with this ruling and we are reviewing our options. We are confident that the ruling uniquely applies to the three claimants because many of the practices cited in the opinion never applied to one or more of the claimants, are no longer in place, or never existed at all.”

If Uber elects not to appeal the decision, Labor Department spokeswoman Jill Aurora explained that the company will be “required to make [unemployment insurance] contributions for these, and other similarly situated drivers. If Uber fails to make such contributions, the Department’s procedure would be to conduct an investigation to determine the amounts of contributions that are due as a result of this decision.”

This could put a serious dent in Uber’s wallet, as the company has more than 65,000 drivers in New York City alone, and it shows no signs of shrinking. In fact, a recent report suggests that “Uber alone would be the largest for-profit private employer in New York City — if Uber drivers were classified as employees rather than independent contractors.”

Guess who just hired 65,000 new employees?

Lulu Chang
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Electric Muscle Misfire? Dodge Pulls Charger Daytona R/T from 2026 Lineup
electric muscle misfire dodge pulls charger daytona r t from 2026 lineup all new

The Dodge Charger Daytona R/T, once hailed as the vanguard of Dodge’s electric muscle car future, is being dropped for the 2026 model year.
According to a report from MoparInsiders, the Scat Pack variant will now lead the Daytona lineup, marking a significant pivot in Stellantis’ EV strategy.
Originally introduced with bold ambitions, the Charger Daytona R/T was designed to offer an accessible gateway into electric performance. With its 456-horsepower dual-motor setup and optional 509-horsepower Direct Connection stage kit, it seemed poised to excite both muscle car fans and EV newcomers. However, market realities have painted a different picture.
Industry and media reports highlight the core issue: buyers just weren’t biting. Despite its impressive specs and nostalgic design cues, the R/T struggled to justify its price tag, starting near $60,000. At that level, buyers expected either more performance or more premium features. Without strong sales traction, Dodge made the tough call to shelve the R/T variant for 2026, opting instead to focus on trims that resonate better with customers.
As we reported in December, the Charger EV was launched with an off-beat marketing message to “save the planet from self-driving sleep pods.” The goal was to retain Dodge’s brand identity—muscle, aggression, and driver engagement—even in the electric era. The Charger Daytona R/T was supposed to be the perfect balance of price and performance, but it seems the target audience wasn’t ready to make that leap at that price.
Importantly, this doesn’t spell the end of the Charger Daytona altogether. Higher-performance models like the Scat Pack and Banshee are still in the pipeline and, interestingly, are being adjusted for price competitiveness. Several trims are reportedly seeing price cuts, suggesting Stellantis is serious about making these vehicles more appealing and accessible.
For enthusiasts, the takeaway is clear: the electric muscle car isn’t going anywhere, but automakers are still figuring out how to sell it. The demise of the R/T is less a failure and more a recalibration—proof that even the boldest plans need to stay flexible in the face of consumer demand.

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The all-electric Cadillac Vistiq makes the Escalade redundant
2026 Cadillac Vistiq front-quarter view.

Cadillac wants a full lineup of electric vehicles, and it’s nearly there. It has a standard crossover SUV (the Lyriq), an entry-level model (the Optiq), an electric version of its flagship Escalade (the Escalade IQ), and even a baroque showpiece (the Celestiq). But something’s missing.

For a modern luxury brand, a midsize three-row crossover is key. Customers for whom a Toyota Highlander is too déclassé need something to take their kids to lacrosse practice, but may not want something as big as an Escalade. This isn’t the most exciting design brief, and that’s reflected in the gasoline Cadillac XT6, which has always felt like nothing more than a placeholder. Its new electric counterpart, the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq, is anything but.

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With the Ioniq 9, Hyundai struggles to clear its own high bar
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 front quarter view.

Hyundai has used the clean-sheet nature of electric powertrains to make new vehicles radically different from its internal-combustion models, but what happens when the best thing a new car can be is ordinary? The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is a three-row SUV that, to succeed, needs to prioritize space and an effortless ownership experience over radical styling or sports-car driving dynamics. That doesn’t leave much room for creativity, but Hyundai has done its best by giving the Ioniq 9 futuristic styling combined with the proven E-GMP dedicated EV platform from its other Ioniq models and the Kia EV9.  The enthusiastic response to the EV9, from Hyundai’s sibling brand, shows why, despite having two gasoline three-row SUVs in its lineup already, Hyundai needed an all-electric one as well.

Another daring design from Hyundai

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