Uber’s Scheduled Rides allows users to reserve a car up to 30 days in advance

By Bruce Brown Published June 10, 2016

Uber could have called its new service Early Hailing or Hail Me Later, but instead Uber is calling its scheduled rides program, well, Scheduled Rides. In addition to the smartphone equivalent of standing on a curb, waving your arm, and hollering or whistling for a cab, you can now book a ride with Uber ahead of time, just as you might do with a traditional car service.

Lyft started a ride scheduling pilot test in San Francisco last month that was limited to Lyft employees. Uber’s Scheduled Rides has launched in Seattle and it’s initially for business customers only. It’s also for Uber X, the most popular service, not Uber Black.

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You can set up a Scheduled Ride 30 minutes to 30 days in advance. Just schedule your pickup date, time, location, and destination, and you’re all set. There is no difference in fares, though if surge prices are in effect for normal Uber service at the time, they will be for your Scheduled Ride as well. You’ll be given a normal pricing ride cost estimate when you schedule it. You can cancel your Scheduled Ride with no cancellation fee, as usual, within 5 minutes after the car is dispatched.

The advantages of Uber’s Scheduled Rides service are you don’t have to be concerned about a lack of Uber cars available and, if you like, you can schedule a month’s worth of rides ahead of time.

So even if you need to be picked up at 4 a.m. to get to an airport in time, you’re covered. In case you forget that you set up the ride, Uber sends a reminder the day of the ride. You’ll also get a message when the driver departs to pick you up (good for piece of mind but also if you need to cancel so you’ll know when the five-minute window starts). If surge pricing will apply, you’ll be informed of that, too.

Just as Uber ridesharing is competing with taxis, Scheduled Rides extends the business model to compete with car services as well. When Uber Scheduled Rides service gets to your city, you’ll have another convenient ride option.

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

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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.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck.

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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.
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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.