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India's new ride hailing rules cap driver hours and limit surge pricing
India has instituted its first rules for ride hailing apps like Uber and Ola, and they set limits on driver hours and surge pricing while hiking pay rates.
Google Assistant now helps you book taxis
Google's rolled out a bunch of new features for Assistant this week, and it's not finished yet. Now, you'll be able to use it to easily book ride services. So with your Android, iPhone, Google Home or any smart speaker with the Assistant, you just need to say "Hey Google, book a ride to...." Or "Hey Google, get me a taxi to... ." You'll then be given a list of popular ride services to choose from, including Uber, Lyft, Ola and Grab, along with information on estimated pricing and wait times.
Indian ride-hailing giant Ola launches in the UK
Uber may not want to get too comfy as it rebuilds its London presence -- it's about to get stiff competition. Indian ride-hailing giant Ola has unveiled plans to launch in the UK. The company is recruiting drivers in Cardiff, Newport and Vale of Glamorgan as of today, and expects to be available "nationwide" by the end of 2018. And unlike some bids to crack the UK market, it promises to both provide a few competitive advantages and avoid regulatory trouble.
Uber, Lyft and others pledge to improve urban transportation
With the rise of ride-sharing, alternative fuels and ongoing developments in autonomous vehicle technology, transportation is in the midst of a rather drastic transformation, and how we get around in the not too distant future is likely to be very different than how we get around today. But with so many companies working towards a new transportation future, things could get a little messy. To address that concern, over a dozen companies have now committed to 10 Shared Mobility Principles for Livable Cities, a pledge initiated by Zipcar cofounder Robin Chase.
India's Uber rival Ola expands into Australia
While Uber is distracted with lawsuits and a London ban, its ride-hailing rivals are expanding. First it was China's Didi arriving in Brazil and Taiwan, and now its Ola's turn. The Indian company, which shares common investors Softbank and Didi with Uber, is heading to Australia. Ola said it's started adding private hire vehicle drivers in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth in its first move outside of its native India.
Uber fires executive who obtained rape victim's medical records
Uber's problems with corporate culture aren't over just because it fired 20 people. Both the New York Times and Recode have learned that the ridesharing company has fired Asia-Pacific president Eric Alexander (shown above) after word got out that he obtained the medical records of a woman raped by her Uber driver in New Delhi, India. Uber would only confirm that Alexander is no longer an employee, but it's more than a little unusual for a transportation exec to get sensitive information relating to a criminal case. And if the sources are accurate, the reasons behind the move are equally strange.
