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Uber tries to win back India with improved passenger safety
It's no secret that Uber wants to improve its passenger safeguards and rescue its reputation, especially in India -- sexual assault claims led to a Delhi ban amid worries that the ridesharing company wasn't doing enough to screen drivers and protect riders. Now, however, Uber has explained just what it's doing to reassure jittery customers and skeptical governments. On a basic level, the firm is toughening up screening with closer looks at documents and research into more effective background checks. It's also establishing a local team for handling incidents, and an improved ShareMyETA button within the app (debuting first in India) lets you send your hired car's live position and driver details to worried friends.
Singapore tests self-driving cars you use like taxis
One of the greatest allures of self-driving cars is the prospect of never needing your own vehicle -- you could just catch robotic rides whenever you want personal transportation. Well, Singapore is about to explore how well that concept works in practice. The city (with MIT's help) is opening up one of its neighborhoods to autonomous cars next year to see how well they could eliminate traffic congestion. Ideally, you'll use these driverless vehicles like short-range taxis or Uber cars: hail one whenever you need to get to the airport or train station and keep another privately-owned car off the road. That's particularly helpful in Singapore, where the extreme population density (19,725 people per square mile) has led to strong government incentives for using mass transit.
Ridesharing insurance leaves many drivers in the lurch
Ridesharing companies like Uber insure drivers when they're picking up fares, and personal policies are supposed to cover moments when those drivers are waiting for customers. However, BuzzFeed News has learned that it doesn't work that way in practice -- and that's potentially a very expensive problem if you've signed up. While Uber says that "many" personal insurance plans safeguard its drivers in between rides, some of the largest US insurers (Allstate, Geico, Progressive and State Farm) say that these options won't cover ridesharing at any point. They may even cancel your policy if they find out that you're taking paying passengers. Moreover, both Lyft and Uber limit their liability for victims outside the car to $50,000. You could still rack up a huge medical bill if one of these drivers hits you while you're crossing the street.
Uber deal with Portland takes its cars off the road temporarily
One of Uber's legal problems appears to be moving towards a positive resolution. The city of Portland sued Uber for ignoring its transportation rules a few days ago, but now the two are making "progress toward a permanent home." That progress will start with a step backwards though, as Uber will "pause" pick-ups in the city (outside the city it will keep running, if you need a ride to the Nike HQ) after December 21st while officials work on new regulations. The upside for the service however, is that event if new rules aren't in place within three months, the city says it will let ridesharing operators resume service.
Uber explores using biometrics and lie detectors to screen drivers
Uber has come under fire for allegedly doing little to protect passengers from unscrupulous drivers, and it's determined to improve that reputation -- in some cases, using relatively unusual methods. The ridesharing company's recently hired Head of Global Safety, Philip Cardenas, tells customers that Uber is exploring numerous techniques for verifying drivers, such as biometrics, voice fingerprinting and lie detector tests. "Scientific analysis and technology" should help make up for gaps in background check infrastructure around the world, Cardenas says.
Chicago's getting its own Uber-like app for ordering taxis
It's basically impossible to ignore the impact that the likes of Uber and Lyft have had on the taxicab industry, and Chicago's given up trying. The city government has approved a package from the local cab-drivers union that, among other things, pushes for unified mobile dispatching apps. As proposed, it'd work a lot like the aforementioned ride-sharing services and, compared to apps like Hailo, this would link potential customers to all of the city's 7,000 taxis instead of just a handful here or there. Additionally, the Taxi Driver Fairness Reforms package would make it easier for cabbies to compete financially as well. Lease rates would drop for fuel-efficient vehicles, saving drivers, as the city notes (PDF), between 15 and 25 percent on electric, hybrid or compressed natural gas vehicle payments over three years.
Uber's ridesharing app will come preloaded on Sprint smartphones
Uber isn't in everyone's good graces these days, but American carriers apparently love it -- Sprint is following in AT&T's footsteps with plans to preload Uber's ridesharing app on new Android devices. It's not saying which devices, although it's safe to presume that it'll cover a wide range of phones. This is a mixed blessing, to put it mildly. While it'll save you some time if you already use Uber for cross-town travel, it's yet another piece of bloatware if you're not a fan... and it's not exactly well-timed given the transportation firm's mounting legal battles.
LA and San Francisco sue Uber, but settle with Lyft for $500k
Wonder how Uber's week could get worse? Today the district attorneys for Los Angeles and San Francisco announced they're following through on their threat to sue the company, and that they have reached a settlement with its competitor Lyft. According to the DAs (PDF), the lawsuit against Uber is because of "false and misleading statements to consumers." Specifically they take issue with the quality of the background checks Uber claims it uses on drivers and its $1 "Safe Rides" fee, a failure to have authorization to work at airports, and a practice of collecting but not passing on a $4 "airport fee toll" at SFO. SF DA George Gascón and LA DA Jackie Lacey are looking for an injunction to shut Uber's service, penalties and restitution. For its part, Lyft agreed to stop making misleading statements about its background checks, seek authorization from any airports where it offers service and pay $500k in civil penalties. But hey, at least Uber has a Spotify tie-in. Update: Uber spokesperson Eva Behrend said "We will continue to engage in discussions with the District Attorneys" and that Uber is a safe part of the transportation ecosystem. Check after the break for the full statement. [Image credit: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy]
Portland sues Uber over its 'illegal' ridesharing service
Uber has a long, long history of flouting laws that limit its ridesharing business, but Portland isn't taking this disobedience lying down. The Oregon city just sued Uber for allegedly violating its hired transportation rules, and has issued a cease-and-desist order that takes Uber's "illegal" operation off the road until it both gets driver permits and meets requirements for consumer protections and safety. Commissioner Steve Novick wants company staff to "make their case" for looser regulations at Portland's city council rather than drive first and ask questions later.
Sound Off! What apps do you use to cash in on your car?
When you live in a crowded city, having a vehicle can sometimes feel more like a burden than a luxury. Finding parking, paying for insurance, dealing with the occasional fender bender – managing all of these things could drive even the most serene among us to the brink. But hey, it's 2014, so of course a handful of smart folks have come up with ways to make your car work for you instead: Lyft, Getaround and... what are we missing? Tell us in the Engadget forums! Or if you think it's better to ditch a car completely -- how would you go about selling it online? Sound off, people.
Uber vows to improve 'company culture' and privacy
On the heels of a financing round that raised the service another $1.2 billion, Uber says it'll strive to be "a smarter and more humble company" in the coming months. The ride-sharing app's massive growth in 2014 certainly hasn't been without stumbles. Rifts with taxi operators and rubs with its main competition took a backseat recently to claims it was tracking journalists who were critical of its methods and the so-called God View tool for keeping tabs on customers. "The events of the recent weeks have shown us that we also need to invest in internal growth and change. Acknowledging mistakes and learning from them are the first steps," a blog post explains. So what about that cash? Well, Uber is looking to dive into the Asia Pacific region to further its growth, but revamped privacy standards and giving back to the cities in which it operates are also tops on the 2015 to-do list. [Photo credit: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Ridesharing apps are erasing the value of taxi services
It's no surprise that ridesharing outfits like Lyft and Uber are disrupting the taxi business through lower pricing and technological advantages. However, it's now clear that these app-based upstarts are also hitting taxis where it really hurts: the value of owning a taxi service. A New York Times analysis reveals that the prices of medallions, which are necessary to operate taxi fleets in numerous US cities, have plunged sharply in the past year. In Boston, Chicago and New York City, the price of a medallion has fallen between 17 to 20 percent. Ridesharing is affecting how often cities and owners can sell medallions, too. Philadelphia is cutting prices just to sell these items at all, and half of New York's recent sales (a mere 10) were foreclosures -- the former owners just couldn't afford to stay involved.
Lyft's new offering lets you take passengers only during your commute
App-based carpooling options like Lyft Line and UberPool are useful if you'd rather not drive to work yourself... but what if you do drive, and want to make a little money on the side? That's where Lyft's newest offering, Driver Destination, could come into play. The tier lets you only accept Lyft Line requests from people who are headed the same way, with few if any detours; your trip home shouldn't turn into an epic journey just because you picked up someone who lives off the beaten path. If you're willing to make it a staple of your commute, Lyft reckons that you could make as much as $400 more per month. That's not spectacular, but it's enough to pay for large bills or a lavish night out.
Sound Off! Do ridesharing privacy issues make you nervous?
Uber is not having a good week. Between surreptitiously tracking journalists' trips inside 'God View' and an executive implying the company should dig up dirt on reporters critical of the service, the company has been on a pretty bumpy road. However, they're still one of the most popular ride sharing services. Does the company's seemingly callous disregard for customer privacy change whether you still use its app? Head over to the Engadget forums and share your thoughts on ridesharing. [Image credit: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Lyft's new service lets your workplace pay for your commute (updated)
Now that carpooling services have made ridesharing cheap enough to use for day-to-day commuting, wouldn't it be nice if your workplace could easily pay for that ridesharing? Apparently, Lyft thinks so -- it's launching Lyft for Work, an initiative that lets companies buy credits for your app-based transportation. The option allows for either one-time codes (say, for job interviews) or monthly balances. Your employer can limit the credits to certain ride tiers, such as Lyft Line, and even determine where you're allowed to go on the corporate dime. You may get a free trip to the office or a holiday party, but you'll probably have to pay for some barhopping.
New York attorney general fights rule that curbs services like Uber
New York City isn't always kind to ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber, but those companies have just gained an important ally. BuzzFeed News has learned that state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman recently sent a letter to NYC's Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) opposing rules that would limit firms to dispatching exclusively affiliated drivers unless they strike deals with rivals. To Schneiderman, that creates "serious antitrust issues." Companies would frequently have to collude with each other to grow, and the rule would favor well-financed outlets that can lure drivers away, such as Uber. Instead, the official suggests an approach where transporters can affiliate with any company that shares the same worker's compensation system.
Google Maps gets a makeover with built-in restaurant reservations
At long last, Google Maps has received the Material Design revamp that many were expecting -- and it's more than just a skin-deep upgrade. New versions of Maps' Android and iOS apps focus on the super-flat graphics and lively animations that you'd expect from Google's new design language, but they also include built-in restaurant reservations through OpenTable. If you're in the US, you can now book a table right from a place page instead of visiting a website or launching another app.
You can now take Lyft and UberX cars to San Francisco's main airport
It was only a matter of time before San Francisco International Airport allowed direct visits from app-based ridesharing services besides Sidecar, and those floodgates have officially opened. Both Lyft and Uber (specifically, UberX and UberXL) now have the all-clear to stop at SFO's terminals. If you need a ride to your hotel, you no longer have to pay for an expensive taxi or else brave the mass transit system. It's difficult to know how this increased competition will work in practice, but a successful rollout could get other airports following suit. [Image credit: Angelo DeSantis, Flickr]
Uber gets a failing grade from Better Business Bureau, but taxis do too
The latest scuffle between Uber and the taxi industry is, as you might expect, a bit one-sided. The Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association (TLPA) trade group recently issued a press release stating that the Better Business Bureau has given Uber an F rating (failing), citing the service's surge pricing and customer complaints regarding difficulties with customer service reps as the main faults. TLPA spokesperson Dave Sutton naturally sees this as leading to the ride-sharing giant's downfall. "Uber's unresponsiveness could easily contribute to or cause the company's next tragedy," he told Bloomberg. What that press release fails to mention, noted by Bloomberg, is that quite a few of the largest cab companies have the same dismal grade with the BBB. In its defense, Uber said that complaints that users make through the app are addressed on a regular basis and that taxi outfits are well-known for not addressing complaints of their own. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Uber for Business now automatically expenses taxis in 45 countries
The nice thing about traveling for work is that you can hop in a taxi without worrying about the cost since, after all, you're not picking up the tab. The downside of that privilege is that, about a week or two after that, you'll have to sit down and tediously justify your expenditure to your boss. That's not a problem, however, if your company has signed up with Uber for Business, which sends the bills straight to the firm instead of piling on your own credit card. Until now, however, that service was only available in the US and Canada, with a few trials taking place in the UK and France. As you might have guessed from the headline, today's the day that the company opens up Uber for Business to all of the 45 countries in which it operates. Now all we have to do is work out if we can pretend that our hand slipped and we hit the Uber Lux button by mistake.
