Uber has decided to leave its broadly derided current logo ‘behind’
Rideshare giant Uber adds a new brand image to the list of changes the company has made in the past 18 months. Not only does the company have a new CEO, it also has a new logo. Uber's previous brand icon, a circular graphic, was derided as a symbol that walked away from a clear brand identity.
Don’t be duped by fake rideshare drivers, safety campaign urges
"Make sure you get in the right car!" That's the message to rideshare passengers from a new safety ad urging them to check the details of the car and driver to ensure they're genuine. Cases have emerged where passengers have been assaulted after getting in a car with someone posing as a rideshare driver.
Uber’s upcoming ‘Ride Check’ feature could save your life
Uber's new Ride Check feature aims to get help as soon as possible if you're unlucky enough to be involved in a crash in one of its cars. Using GPS and sensors built into smartphones, Ride Check will ask riders and drivers if emergency help is needed when it detects a sudden stop.
Toyota extends a lifeline to Uber’s troubled self-driving car program
Toyota will invest $500 million in Uber, and partner with the ride-sharing company on a new fleet of prototype self-driving cars. The Sienna minivans will use both Toyota and Uber tech, and will be deployed in pilot ridesharing services beginning in 2021, Toyota said in a statement.
Uber wants to focus on bikes over cars for shorter journeys
Uber has already taken tentative steps in the bike- and scooter-sharing space, but the company's CEO says it's now ready to push more heavily into the space, targeting riders taking short trips in cities. The move mirrors a similar strategy adopted by Uber's main ridesharing rival in the U.S., Lyft.
6 flying cars that you might actually be able to own (and fly) in your lifetime
Just like the way that cellphones used to be only for the rich, soon the idea of taking a personal flying machine to work is going to be a part of everyday life. Don't believe us? Here are six examples of personal flying cars and even a personal jetsuit that will help us commute.
NYC just dealt a major blow to Uber and Lyft
New York City regulators placed a cap on how many operational licenses it grants for potential Uber and Lyft drivers. The city says it's an attempt to try and save the city’s integral yellow-cab system after several cab drivers committed suicide from the burden of overwhelming competition.
Uber has completed 10 billion trips since 2010 despite persistent controversy
As of last month, Uber has completed over 10 billion trips. And given that the company only got its start in 2010, that's a pretty impressive milestone. Uber reached that mark despite being embroiled in a series of controversies, including a leadership shake-up, during the past year.
Uber drivers could soon be considered Uber employees, and that could get expensive
Uber drivers may finally be recognized as official Uber employees. 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 claim was not accepted and approved. This led to a two-year standoff.
Uber may soon turn into your personalized mini convenience store
Taking an Uber may soon be an all-inclusive experience. The transportation giant recently partnered up with Cargo, the startup that offers in-car shopping experiences to those on the move. With this new collaboration, Cargo will be offering Uber customers snacks, beverages, electronics, and even beauty products.
Split your Uber charges with friends more easily than ever with Venmo
After noting that more than six million Venmo transaction descriptions included the word, "Uber," the PayPal-owned app, Venmo, decided to help users cut down on the number of steps needed to repay friends. Soon, you'll be able to use a Venmo account to pay for your Uber ride or Uber Eats purchase.
Uber rolls into electric scooter market with investment in Lime
Just a few months after acquiring electric bicycle company Jump Bikes, Uber has made yet another strategic investment in a two-wheeled startup. The San Francisco-based tech giant announced a new investment in Lime, the electric scooter company, as part of a $335 million financing round.
Uber focuses on safety improvements as it battles to regain its London license
Uber's U.K operation has unveiled a number of measures designed to improve rider and driver safety as it seeks to regain its London operating license. On June 25, the ridesharing giant goes to court in order to appeal last September's decision, and hopefully, get its groove back in London.
Now you have less of an excuse to not tip your Uber driver with in-app tipping
For the first time in its history, Uber finally allowed riders to tip their drivers after a ride, straight from the Uber app last June. In the year since then, drivers have made $600 million in tips. Last month, Uber also debuted mid-trip ratings and tips, and has purportedly seen a 30 percent rise in tipping.
Deadly Uber crash was ‘entirely avoidable’ had the driver not been watching Hulu
Uber has put the brakes on its experimental autonomous vehicles in Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Toronto following a deadly crash in Tempe, Arizona. We've recently learned that the crash was "entirely avoidable" as the safety driver was watching Hulu up until about 0.5 seconds prior to the crash.
Uber is paying drivers a bit extra to drive electric vehicles instead of gas guzzlers
Uber is going electric, and it's not afraid to spend the money to do so. On June 19, the ridesharing giant unveiled a new program that provides drivers will financial incentives to use electric vehicles rather than traditional gas guzzlers. In addition, Uber is building specific features into its app.
Uber is testing a low-fare option that’s great if you’re not in a rush
Uber is testing a new feature that offers lower fares for riders. Opting for the cheaper ride means waiting a bit longer for your car to arrive. So you can make an informed decision, the app tells you both fare options — one for the immediate pick-up and one for the delayed pick-up.
Google Maps on Android no longer lets you book Uber rides
Early last year, Google announced that Google Maps would allow customers to book rides straight from the Maps app. Now, however, it seems as though that feature has been removed. It's currently unclear exactly why Google removed the feature from Google Maps, but it could have been Uber's decision rather than Google's.
Amazon, Microsoft, Uber donate to oppose the California Consumer Privacy Act
Amazon, Microsoft, and Uber have made large contributions to a group attempting to prevent a privacy act from becoming law in California. As per state disclosure records, the three tech giants join a number of other well-known tech firms all working against the proposed California Consumer Privacy Act.
Uber eyes millions of new riders with the launch of Uber Lite
Following in the footsteps of many other popular online services, Uber has just launched a lightweight version of its app. Targeted at emerging markets such as India, Uber Lite uses just 5MB of storage to offer a service that still manages to retain some of the core features of its regular app.
Uber could soon know if you’re drunk before the car arrives to pick you up
Uber has filed a patent outlining an app-based artificial intelligence capable of detecting "uncharacteristic" behavior, such as drunkenness, among riders. That way, it could send a more experienced driver to collect the potentially boisterous rider, or ensure they don't end up in a pooled ride.
How does Uber work?
Uber changed the way we move, and that's not a hyperbole. But have you ever wondered how the popular ridesharing platform works? There's plenty to it, whether you're a driver or a mere passenger. Here's what you need to know, from hailing a car to the recently launched panic button.
Uber will run criminal and driving history checks for every driver every year
Uber emailed riders about three new safety programs. Riders now can share ride details with contacts and can call 911 from the Uber app. Trip and location sharing with 911 operators will be automatic in some cities. Uber also says it will run criminal background and driver history checks every year, for every driver.
Uber in partnership talks with Waymo for self-driving technology
Uber would like to work with Waymo, Google's self-driving car division. Uber's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the two companies are having discussions about partnering, but Waymo declined to comment. Calling Waymo an "incredible technology provider," Uber's CEO believes autonomous driving technology will be shared.
Uber adds panic button for U.S. customers, with driver button to come later
Uber added a rider panic button that contacts 911 emergency services to the ridesharing app's main menu. Also new is Trusted Contacts, which gives up to five family members and friends real-time trip location info. The new features follow up on an April announcement of renewed focus on safety.
Uber faces obstacles as it seeks to resume autonomous car tests in Pennsylvania
Uber recently shut down its autonomous car testing program in the Phoenix area, but it wants to resume testing prototypes in Pennsylvania and California in the not-too-distant future. The mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, won't welcome the company with open arms. He wants Uber to observe stricter guidelines.
Apple, VW team up to ferry workers around Cupertino in self-driving T6 vans
Apple hooks up with Volkswagen to shuttle employees in self-driving vans while Uber hits the brakes on their autonomous car efforts. Also, we play around as androids in Quantic Games new game Detroit: Become Human.
Uber shutters self-driving project in Arizona two months after fatal accident
Uber has ended autonomous-car tests in Arizona two months after one of its robot vehicles struck and killed a pedestrian there. The firm will take a new approach when it resumes trials in Pittsburgh and San Francisco, that it says will let it "hone the safety aspects of our software and operating procedures."
Uber gears up for its latest scheme in the tricky Japanese market
Strict regulations make it tough for Uber to launch its regular ridesharing service in Japan. But it hasn't lost hope. Taking a different approach, it plans to link its app with 20 cab firms to offer a taxi-hailing service to 150,000 inhabitants of an island near the city of Osaka.
Walmart to end its grocery delivery partnerships with Uber and Lyft
In a bid to keep pace with Amazon's grocery delivery efforts, Walmart partnered with Uber and Lyft in 2016 to help it with its own last-mile delivery operation. But the logistical challenges of combining grocery delivery with human transportation have proved too much, with the partnerships set to end in June.
Did Uber’s self-driving prototype decide not to avoid the pedestrian it struck?
Uber has been conducting an investigation into its fatal March self-driving car crash, and now, a new report suggests that the self-driving car may have in fact seen the pedestrian crossing the street, but then decided against taking evasive measures. Uber has not commented further on these reports.
Who pays for autonomous driving fatalities?
Human drivers are still far more dangerous than autonomous cars, but if you’re not really at the wheel, whose fault is it if there’s an accident, or worse, a fatality? The insurance industry has been slow to respond, and nothing has yet been decided in the courts.
Uber will no longer store exact pickup and drop-off locations in drivers’ apps
In a soon-to-be-launched pilot program, the San Francisco-based Uber will begin hiding passengers' exact pickup and drop-off locations in the trip history available to drivers. Rather than pinpointing where you are and where you're going, the Uber app will instead show drivers a more general location.
Uber is stepping up its game on passenger safety features
Uber is taking a closer look at its passenger safety features and working to improve its previously sparse set of tools. On April 12, the transportation giant announced "several new improvements to double down on safety" in the app, including a plan to improve the background screening process for its drivers.