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Uber's breathalyzer kiosk gets you a ride home if you're drunk
Uber sees its ridesharing service as an ideal way to get you home safely when you're drunk, and it's trying out some relatively unique technology to prove its point. The company recently set up an Uber Safe kiosk in Toronto that gave sloshed Canadians a free ride if they blew into a breathalyzer -- much safer than stumbling on foot or struggling to hail a cab, if you ask us. The Toronto device was largely a promotional stunt, but Uber tells us that it's "thrilled" with the early response and to "stay tuned" for the possibility of more kiosks going forward. We can't imagine that Uber would continue to offer the Safe service free of charge if it catches on, but it's easy to see systems like this popping up in bar-heavy neighborhoods.
Court rules that UberPOP cars can still pick you up in Paris
Uber's Paris headquarters were recently raided by 25 policemen, but a court has now ruled that its disputed UberPOP service is actually honky-dory -- for now. The company's low-cost ridesharing option uses non-professional drivers, a practice that French authorities have called unlawful (its other services use professional drivers and are legal). However, the decision is more of a reprieve than a victory for Uber. Paris's Cour d'Appel merely passed the buck to a higher appeals court on whether or not to ban UberPOP. Still, it means Uber can continue to operate the service in Paris until at least June, when a new constitutional court ruling is due.
Uber will pay for taxi licenses to keep operating in Germany
Uber is only willing to bend German law so far, it seems. The ridesharing outfit tells Wirtschafts Woche that it'll get around a court-ordered ban on its unlicensed services (such as UberX) by creating a new service that both pays for the drivers' taxi licenses and registers them as companies. While it's not clear whether this paperwork will lead to higher prices, the new tier is expected to keep the UberX name and should be ready to roll by the summer. It's hard to imagine the conventional taxi industry being especially happy with this workaround, but it may not have much say in the matter if all of Uber's services are legal. [Image credit: Adam Berry/Getty Images]
Uber hopes new programs will help riders feel safer
Following alleged sexual assaults in India and France, Uber has revealed several new initiatives and a code of conduct to make passengers feel more secure. The key change is a new advisory board that will "review safety practice and advise on our roadmap for adding safety features to the platform." Uber said it would engage outside experts "to create the strongest board possible" and would regularly incorporate its recommendations into a safety strategy. It also created the Uber Quality Assurance program, which will employ off-duty law enforcement personnel to ensure that drivers are following company rules.
Uber suspends French driver accused of sexual assault
French news daily Le Parisien reports that Uber has suspended one of its French drivers after his arrest on sexual assault charges. This follows Its UberPop service being banned (again) in Germany, the company's offices in both France and South Korea being raided by the police and the UN flat out refusing to work with them. In India, Uber has had to begin collecting safety information throughout New Delhi after one of the company's driver was charged with rape.
UN Women pulls out of Uber's million-woman employment scheme
The hits just keep coming for Uber this week, unfortunately they're mostly in the form of gut punches. First, police forces in both South Korea and France raided Uber offices in their respective countries. Then, later that same day, a Frankfurt court re-banned the company from operating within German territory over permit issues. Now, UN Women (an offshoot of the global council that's tasked with promoting worldwide gender equality) has decided to not participate in the company's ambitious plan to put a million women worldwide behind the wheel of Uber cabs by 2020. Their reason: the public outcry over Uber's history of failing to protect its female drivers and passengers.
Uber cars now outnumber yellow cabs in New York City
You may see yellow taxis as virtually synonymous with New York City transportation, but you might have to reconsider that image before too long. New Taxi and Limousine Commission data shows that Uber cars now outnumber cabs on NYC streets, with 14,088 black and luxury vehicles versus 13,587 taxis. It's not hard to see why the ridesharing service has grown so quickly since its arrival in 2011, mind you. Uber drivers can earn much more in the right circumstances, and they don't have to worry about fixed schedules, complicated licensing or cheapskates who don't pay. This milestone probably won't thrill city officials, who are worried that Uber is both depriving them of tax revenue (since drivers don't need medallion licenses) and playing fast and loose with regulations. However, it's doubtful that there's any going back now -- Uber is huge enough in New York that commuters would notice if it went away. [Image credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images]
Uber offices raided by police in France and South Korea
Uber is under seige on two separate fronts today, as police in South Korea have arrested a pair of its executives, according to ZDNet. At the same time, Le Monde is reporting that French Police have raided Uber's offices in Paris. In Korea, the situation is a bit more serious: Seoul police charged the company's brand manager, other employees and drivers for allegedly breaking the nation's transport laws. The city previously declared that Uber's services are illegal and vowed to ban it, going so far as to issue a warrant for CEO Travis Kalanick and offer rewards to anyone who reported on it. The company is also being probed over claims it failed to register its car-hailing app with South Korea's wireless regulator. It's not clear what kind of charges the employees face.
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.
Uber wants 1 million women as drivers by 2020
To put it mildly, Uber's reputation for supporting women is less than stellar -- it's not hard to find women who refuse to be passengers, let alone drivers. However, the ridesharing service just took a significant step toward gender equality: as part of a collaboration with the United Nations, it's vowing to create 1 million jobs for women as Uber drivers by 2020. Just how it'll accomplish this isn't mentioned, but the hope is that the initiative will give women economic power they won't otherwise have. Uber is promising updates on its progress, so you'll likely know how well it's doing well before those five years are up.
Uber buys a mapping company to give you better ride estimates
Uber wouldn't be where it is without good ride estimates, and it's clearer than ever that the company knows this. The app-based transportation outfit just bought deCarta (its first ever public acquisition), a firm that specializes in mapping, navigation and local search. As a spokesperson tells Mashable, this is a bid to "fine-tune" any feature that depends on maps -- Uber wants better arrival time calculations, more effective carpooling routes and similar upgrades. Of course, it's probably also relevant that those features are currently powered by Uber investor/frenemy Google. The improvements will only take place behind the scenes, but don't be surprised if the Uber app's future ETA predictions are uncannily accurate. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Lyft rewards its drivers for picking you up more often
A ridesharing service only helps you out if drivers want to pick you up in the first place, and Lyft clearly knows it -- the company just countered Uber's new perk system with one of its own. Accelerate, as it's called, puts drivers in one of three status levels depending on how many rides they offer in a given month. Everyone starts out at silver, which offers basic access to Lyft's preferred providers for services like health insurance. If they handle at least 20 rides a month, though, they'll move up to a gold rank that gives them discounts on everything from car maintenance to movie tickets. And if they're committed enough to offer 200 rides a month, they'll get platinum-level status that bumps them to the front of the queue whenever they ask Lyft's headquarters for help.
Uber teams with a breathalyzer company to tackle drunk driving
Many will tell you to take a cab home if you're too drunk to drive, but that can be expensive -- wouldn't it be more effective to hail a ridesharing car instead? Uber and Breathometer, a mobile breathalyzer company, think so -- they're teaming up to promote Uber as a safe option for getting home when you're sloshed. To start, Breathometer's app will give you a free Uber ride (up to $20) if it's your first time. If you're an experienced Uber passenger, you can still get a free lift if you're one of the first 100 people to order a ride through Breathometer's software. And if you don't get a gratis trip, you'll still get a 10 percent discount on a Breathometer device if you buy it before March 7th. This isn't the largest offer, but it could make a difference if you'd otherwise be tempted to take the wheel after a boozy party. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Uber Seize parody is more 'Grand Theft Auto,' less ridesharing
People may rag on Uber for its tendency to play fast and loose with the law, but they don't have a patch on The Onion's parody version of the ridesharing outfit. The site just posted a video introducing "Uber Seize," a mock service tier that would let you swipe cars to get where you're going. Instead of simply hailing a ride, you'd pick a target vehicle and go all Grand Theft Auto on the hapless driver. No, this isn't going to show up in real life any time soon (we sure hope not), but it's funny to imagine Uber taking its vision of disruptive transportation to a logical extreme.
Uber launches in-app panic button in India
Starting on February 11th, Uber passengers in India will have access to an in-app panic button that alerts local police in case of emergency. While the ride-hailing service previously said the feature will be available worldwide, it will be released in India first in response to the transportation department's demand for tighter security measures. If you recall, a New Delhi woman accused an Uber driver of rape in December, so the agency demanded a physical panic button in cabs, among other security features. The department even recently asked the government to ban the service for good (its operations were halted for several weeks after the incident), as it believes the company failed to comply with its demands.
Woman in India rape case sues Uber
A woman who claims she was raped by an Uber driver in New Delhi last month has filed suit against the US-based car-sharing company. In a civil complaint filed yesterday in California, the unnamed woman, who's referred to as "Jane Doe," said the company put its bottom line ahead of ensuring rider safety -- especially its female passengers.
California rethinks tougher licensing for ridesharing drivers
California just stepped back from a policy that might have had a big, big impact on ridesharing services in the Golden State. Its Department of Motor Vehicles has revoked a finding that drivers for companies like Lyft and Uber need commercial license plates in order to do business. The DMV originally issued the notice (really, an interpretation of existing law) in an attempt to clear up legal uncertainties for car dealerships and their customers, but now says that it needs to conduct "further review" before it reaches a conclusion.
Uber drops 'ridesharing' veneer in New Delhi, applies for taxi license
Uber is once again offering rides in New Delhi after it was banned over an alleged sexual assault by one if its drivers. To help get reinstated, it applied for a taxi service license, one of the first times the company's taken such a step since it began operations. Uber has always stressed that it's "not a transportation provider," but merely a service to connect passengers and independent drivers. However, the rape claim revealed that Uber failed to perform background checks on New Delhi drivers, something it now does routinely in the US.
Lyft cars are dropping the big, fuzzy mustache
Lyft likes to position itself as the cheery alternative to Uber's serious (and sometimes cutthroat) ridesharing service. However, that big, fuzzy mustache on the nose of the company's vehicles may be hurting more than it helps -- your business pals won't be impressed when you show up in a cartoonish car. To that end, Lyft tells Wired that it's scrapping the fake fur in favor of a dashboard-mounted glowing mustache (aka the "glowstache"). The more tasteful trinket is meant to preserve some of the company's signature whimsy (and help you spot your ride at a distance) without embarrassing you when the driver shows up. Also, it's more likely to hold up to real-world abuse. As you might have guessed, the original mustache doesn't look so hot after it's covered in street grime.
New York City suspends five Uber hubs until they divulge trip info (update: reprieve)
Uber's longstanding battle to offer ridesharing in New York City on its own terms isn't over... if anything, the conflict just got a bit ugly. The city's Taxi & Limousine Tribunal has suspended five of Uber's six NYC hubs until they hand over trip records to the Taxi & Limousine Commission, which recently established a rule requiring that ridesharing companies regularly share their travel data. Uber has been holding out on the grounds that the TLC is asking for sensitive information that could hurt its competitiveness and violate drivers' privacy.
