Uber changes mean drivers can choose destinations and take bathroom breaks

By Bruce Brown Published June 7, 2016

Against the backdrop of coast-to-coast class action lawsuits by Uber drivers suing for employee status, the company has just released a half dozen driver-friendly app features. Uber described the six new features in Behind the Wheel, a new blog specifically for Uber drivers.

The Driver Destinations app feature may be the most advantageous for drivers. With that feature activated, a driver enters a destination and is only alerted to ride requests en route. This could work well for drivers who know where to find the best fares and want to restrict their availability to a specific route. Part-time drivers with a daily commute might find they can make some money on the way to and from work.

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With Pause Requests an Uber driver can literally put the service on hold. Whether for a bathroom break, lining up for gas at a busy station, or just taking a few minutes off, a driver “on pause” won’t be called for rides, and won’t lose points for not taking them.

The Rider Late Fee program, like the others in this announcement, has been tested in some cities already. With this feature, if a passenger is more than two minutes late for a ride pickup, the driver can assess a late fee. The hope isn’t that drivers will make money from late fees, but that riders will be better about showing up on time.

Instant Pay is a program Uber is setting up for drivers with a GoBank Uber Debit Card. With that card drivers can control when they get paid, with no fee attached.

Uber Greenlight Location is a new name for physical locations for driver assistance. Previously they were called Partner Support Centers. There are now more than 250 Uber Greenlight Locations worldwide.

The Uber driver Ride Discount program is a pilot being launched in just a few cities. Uber said that one fourth of all Uber drivers are also Uber passengers at times. Uber drivers will get a 15-percent discount for an Uber X ride for every 10 trips they make in a week and 50 percent off an Uber Black ride for every 20 trips in a week.

Addressing drivers, Uber says in the blog itself that Behind the Wheel, “will be your one-stop for news that affects you and information on driver products and perks.”

While none of the new features do anything about the employee/contractor dispute between Uber drivers and the company, they add some convenience to being an Uber driver. The Driver Destinations feature, in particular, looks like it could help drivers make money.

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Bruce Brown Contributing Editor As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…

Cars

Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?

jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii 4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Cars

Tesla just scrapped the Cybertruck range extender

Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck.

The writing was pretty much on the wall for the Cybertruck range extender last month when Tesla removed the option from its website. Now, it’s officially scrapped it and is refunding the $2,000 deposits that customers put down for the $16,000 battery pack.

“We are no longer planning to sell the range extender for Cybertruck," Tesla said in a message to customers on Wednesday, adding, "As a result, we will be refunding your deposit in full.”

Cars

Zoox recalls robotaxis after Las Vegas crash, citing software fix

Amazon's self-driving vehicle unit, Zoox, has issued a voluntary safety recall after one of its autonomous vehicles was involved in a minor collision in Las Vegas. The incident, which occurred in April 2025, led the company to investigate and identify a software issue affecting how the robotaxi anticipates another vehicle’s path.
The recall, affecting 270 Zoox-built vehicles, was formally filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Zoox said the issue has already been addressed through a software update that was remotely deployed to its fleet.
Zoox’s robotaxis, which operate without driving controls like a steering wheel or pedals, are part of Amazon’s entry into the autonomous driving space. According to Zoox’s safety recall report, the vehicle failed to yield to oncoming traffic while making an unprotected left turn, leading to a low-speed collision with a regular passenger car. While damage was minor, the event raised flags about the system’s behavior in complex urban scenarios.
Establishing safety and reliability remain key factors in the deployment of the relatively new autonomous ride-hailing technology. Alphabet-owned Waymo continues to lead the sector in both safety and operational scale, with services active in multiple cities including Phoenix and San Francisco. But GM’s Cruise and Ford/VW-backed Argo AI were forced to abandon operations over the past few years.
Tesla is also expected to enter the robotaxi race with the launch of its own service in June 2025, leveraging its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. While FSD has faced heavy regulatory scrutiny through last year, safety regulations are expected to loosen under the Trump administration.
Zoox, which Amazon acquired in 2020, says it issued the recall voluntarily as part of its commitment to safety. “It’s essential that we remain transparent about our processes and the collective decisions we make,” the company said in a statement.