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Ubisoft brings back Driver as a live-action TV show
Ubisoft has brought back its classic Driver game franchise, but only as a live-action TV show headed to a new streaming service.
Uber will let you hire a driver by the hour in select cities
Uber's new Hourly option lets riders make multiple trips in a single ride.
Uber passengers in California can 'favorite' drivers
Uber is getting some new features in California. While the favorite driver option has been live in the UK for some time, passengers in CA will, from early 2020, have the option to bookmark drivers they'd like to ride with again. Drivers will also now be given more trip information upfront -- such as a passenger's ultimate destination -- allowing them to make more informed decisions about the rides they accept. Finally, drivers will be able to accept only the trips they want to take without it affecting their Uber Pro status.
Uber reportedly tells its staff not to disclose potential crimes
Uber has faced numerous sexual assault charges against its drivers in its time, but has repeatedly assured its users that it's taking steps to strengthen security for riders. Now, The Washington Post has revealed that despite these measures, Uber's customer service department is reportedly skewed in favor of the company, no matter how serious the complaints -- the majority of which involve sexual assault.
Uber could give you the option to ‘favorite’ drivers
Uber might be developing a feature that lets riders add drivers as a "favorite" so they can ride with them again in the future. App researcher Jane Manchun Wong revealed the potential app addition on Monday, noting that Uber was apparently testing the feature -- no other details have been given so far.
Chevy's safety feature won't let teens drive without seat belts
Because a chiming dashboard alert isn't enough to get teens to buckle up, Chevrolet introduced a new feature that prohibits drivers from shifting out of park until their seat belt is fastened. The "Buckle to Drive" system includes visible and audible alerts, and the company says it's an industry first. It only runs when Teen Driver mode is active -- so adults can risk driving seat belt-free if they choose -- and it will be standard in the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse, Malibu and Colorado.
Mercedes AR app gives truck drivers crucial info on their rig
Mercedes isn't new to experimenting with augmented reality, and at MWC 2018 the company showed off its latest creation with that technology. The "Vehicle Lens" app is exactly what it sounds like: It uses a smartphone to give you an AR view of a car or truck, showing vital information as you move around and point the camera at different parts of your ride. If you have it facing the wheels, for example, you see details about tire pressure. That will come in handy before taking a trip. In addition to that, Vehicle Lens can display engine info like mileage and coolant levels, how much fuel there is and personal info about drivers -- including if they've been driving for too long.
Uber's multi-destination feature makes riding with friends easier
Uber has launched a multiple stop feature that lets riders add up to three stops on their trip, eliminating the need to add a new address after each drop or pick-up. Open the app, hit "Where to?" and then tap the "+" symbol to add the addresses of each stop. You can add or remove stops in real time, with your requests syncing with your driver's directions immediately, and you can still split the cost of the fare with friends via the app.
Spotify is testing a 'driving mode' for fewer distractions
Now that we've all got streaming, on-demand music in the car with our phones, it's hard not to want to fiddle with our playlists while driving. Obviously, messing with your device on the road is as bad as texting, though. As reported on The Verge, Spotify seems to be testing a new driving mode feature that will encourage you to keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel while streaming your favorite tracks in the car.
Uber will appeal compulsory English exam for London drivers (updated)
Uber continues to fight against an upcoming rule change that would force London drivers to pass an English language exam. Today, the ride-hailing company has won the right to appeal the requirement, originally proposed by Transport for London in March 2016, that all private hire chauffeurs hold an English GCSE or, if they're from a predominantly non-English speaking country, B1-level qualification. Uber broadly supports the rule change, but thinks the written exam component is unfair. "Writing an essay has nothing to do with communicating with passengers or getting them safely from A to B," Tom Elvidge, Uber's General Manager for London said.
Lyft drivers can start planning pickups days in advance
Just as it does for riders, Lyft continues to improve the experience for its drivers. The latest effort is a feature that lets contractors deal with scheduled pickups up to seven days in advance, instead of only being aware of a passenger's planned departure minutes before. Additionally, Lyft is now giving drivers access to "Power Zones," high-demand areas where they can "get paid more" during certain hours of the day. So far, there are 12 Power Zones in (undisclosed) cities across the US, with more expected to be added later on.
Uber hopes to silence critics with more UK driver benefits
Uber has long argued that its drivers are independent contractors, not employees. While that distinction has been argued in the courts, the company has been upping driver perks to try to keep them on side and silence critics. Its latest effort in the UK is a partnership with the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE). For £2 per week, Uber drivers can sign up for IPSE benefits which include sickness and injury cover up to £2,000, jury cover up to £2,000, access to financial advice and support, and occupational accident cover up to £300.
Uber drivers no longer need other mapping apps
Few of us think about the driver experience when we hail an Uber. We open the app, summon a car and then clamber into the backseat, peering at our phones or talking to friends until we arrive at our destination. But for a trip to work seamlessly, it's important that your chauffeur knows exactly where you are and where you're going. With this in mind, the company has set out on a major revamp of its driver app, improving navigation on iOS and, for the first time, offering turn-by-turn directions in Android.
GM's car-sharing program links Uber drivers to weekly rentals
While we mostly think of GM's Maven program as just a ZipCar-like car sharing service, it's more generally an option for "flexible" access to vehicles. That's why Maven is a part of Lyft's Express Drive program that offers up short term rentals for drivers, and today it announced a partnership with Uber. Launching with a 90 day pilot in San Francisco, it lets Uber drivers lease a Chevrolet Cruze, Malibu or Trax for $179 per week (plus fees) with no mileage limit, and insurance is included.
Glitchy NVIDIA graphics driver cooks graphics cards (update: not that bad)
Many gamers will tell you to hold off on installing the latest drivers for your video card until you know they're safe... and here's why. NVIDIA has pulled a GeForce driver (364.47) after numerous reports of problems with the installation. The symptoms vary from freezing and visual glitches to serious crises like failures to boot or, supposedly, burnt out cards. That's not fun if it turns your costly Titan X into a paperweight. The exact cause isn't clear, but NVIDIA's early look suggests that choosing the express installation creates the problem. Some fans suggest that it may be due to a conflict between old and new software.
Uber's new app gives drivers more incentives to pick you up
You might care the most about Uber's app for customers, but the drivers' app matters a lot, too -- after all, you won't get a ride if cars aren't waiting for your request. Appropriately, Uber has revamped the driver app to make it far more informative and give workers more reasons to offer you a lift. The software provides a real-time status feed with notes, tips and (most importantly) extra chances at making money. It also has an always-available activity map that shows drivers where they're most likely to get customers, even when surge pricing isn't involved. Earnings and ratings are easier to understand, too. You may never catch more than a fleeting glimpse of this app, but it could make all the difference if you get a timelier trip home from a driver eager to make a buck.
A game told me I don't have what it takes to be a good Uber driver
Think you have the behind-the-wheel skills to cut it as an Uber driver? Well, the transportation company has a way for you to find out: a mobile game. UberDRIVE is an iOS title that not only offers a glimpse at a day in the life of an Uber driver, but also helps improve navigation skills. Gameplay revolves around helping riders get from one point to another by taking the safest and most efficient route possible. Opting for the best route earns a higher score, and players who grab those 5-star ratings on the regular are rewarded with new cars and access to other parts of the city. Uber created the game for current drivers to work on their navigation chops, but it's also hoping that folks interested in signing up will give it a go to see what work day could be like. UberDRIVE is available nationwide, but for now, content is limited to the streets of San Francisco. That probably explains why I was so terrible at it.
Lawsuit accuses Lyft of stiffing new drivers on bonuses
Uber isn't the only ridesharing outfit running into legal trouble these days -- Lyft is now facing a lawsuit over claims that it deprived new drivers of promised bonuses. The transportation company allegedly committed fraud by offering $1,000 to drivers who completed their first ride by March 5th, only to renege for many of them because it couldn't finish background checks on time. Lyft isn't offering a formal response to the suit just yet, but the company tells the AP that thousands of would-be drivers made it under the wire. However, lawyers maintain that hundreds of others didn't -- there could be at least $5 million up for grabs, according to the attorneys. It's too soon to declare a victor, but it won't be shocking if the pink mustache company is more cautious about handing out cash in the future.
Navdy gives your car an iPhone-linked HUD
We love our cars, and we love our iPhones, but sometimes we don't love them so much together. Navigation and entertainment apps provide a wonderful road trip experience, but controlling those apps by touch or by voice is tougher -- and more dangerous -- than it should be, even using clever clips to attach the phone to the car. There's a fundamental incompatibility between paying attention to a tiny touchscreen at arm's length and paying attention to large amounts of kinetic energy embodied in a massive chunk of steel and plastic moving at 100 km/h. Apple's CarPlay shim for iPhone 5+ devices will address some of those command and control issues (if you buy a new car, or refit your stereo with an aftermarket unit) by relocating the functional display of the phone to the dashboard, reskinning the UI for simplicity, and enabling both physical switches and Siri-based voice controls for functional operations. That still doesn't clear the biggest hurdle: keeping your eyes on the road as you drive, rather than pulling your focus back to the center console and degrading your driving attention. The limitations of in-dash or phone displays have led to some creative solutions like the HUDWAY directions app, Sygic's HUD feature in its nav app, Garmin's HUD (Head Up Display) unit and others. The app-only solutions are fine at night, but they suffer in the sunlight (not to mention lightly braising your phone as it sits on the dash). Garmin's LED-based unit is fine but inflexible, and only works with the company's nav apps. The upcoming Navdy HUD, however, aims for more flexibility and a slick set of interaction modes combined with a full-featured, correctly distanced projection setup that makes it appear as though the display (driven by your iPhone or Android phone) is floating two meters away over the road ahead. Navdy can draw power and data from your car's diagnostic (OBD-II) port, which lets Navdy display speed and distance-to-empty while opening up the possibility of future features to analyze and manage driving and performance data. All this savvy will come at a price, however: Navdy's pre-order cost of US$299 (versus a regular retail price of $499 when it ships in early 2015) is 2x the Garmin unit's price, although Garmin's HUD only works if you buy one of the company's $30+ nav apps to drive it. The Navdy unit, which will connect to the dash via a combined silicon friction mount and a magnetic interlock, will support nav apps like Google Maps and music apps like the built-in iTunes app, Pandora, Spotify and more. The UI of those apps is distilled down to create a "glanceable" experience, keeping only the critical information a driver needs and eliminating any excess chrome or distractions from the HUD. Even multitasking will be driver-friendly; any incoming call or SMS will only take over a part of the display, leaving speed and next turn visible at all times. Of course, SMS or iMessage alerts can be read aloud; with parental controls, they can be disabled entirely while the car is in motion. The voice and gesture controls of Navdy take the HUD experience to the next level. Dictating messages or directions can be done with Siri natively, but Navdy adds a noise-cancelling mic directly in front of the driver's mouth to improve recognition performance. Gestures can accept or turn down an incoming call, change music tracks and more via left/right swipes and a thumbs-up. Navdy talks to your phone via Bluetooth, and since it uses the OBD port for power it won't clog up your 12v/cigarette lighter plug. For cars made before 1996, Navdy will offer an optional 12v adapter to use instead of the OBD connector. The display quality, in the preproduction unit I examined, was very good. The "floating" effect is quite solid and there was no eyestrain or other sense of looking at something that wasn't really there. With a real-world placement on a hot dashboard in the bright sun, your mileage may vary, but Navdy's founders believe they can deliver HUD technology that will work for both everyday and performance drivers in any kind of driving conditions. Both the discount and full-price Navdy may seem quite steep; it's tough to put $300 into a device that you haven't seen in action. But if the Navdy team can deliver on all the functionality they plan to package into the unit, my feeling is that it will be worth the cost. You can read more about Navdy and place a pre-order at www.navdy.com. Navdy's launch video (produced by the delightful and talented Adam Lisagor) is embedded below.
How well do Uber drivers rate you? (update)
Uber's car service lets you rate your drivers, but it also lets them rate you. The customer might always be right, but some customers are simply jerks -- and the system lets drivers know what they might be in for. Until now, there's been no way to draw out your customer rating from the app, but with a little Javascript magic, courtesy of Aaron Landy, you can cajole Uber's mobile site into spitting out your rating, out of 5. Log into Uber's mobile site, then open the console (for Chrome: View -> Developer -> Javascript Console from the drop-down menu), and paste some javascript code in. The browser will reload, and you'll need to paste the code again. Another reload, and a popup will offer up your user details and your passenger rating. The hack might even the odds a little: drivers have been able to see how passengers have ranked their rides for a while. It's like leaving feedback on eBay all over again. Update: It appears Uber noticed the sudden influx to its mobile site and has now patched the JavaScript 'hack.'
