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Uber intends to treat drivers as contractors despite California bill
California is likely on the cusp of making gig companies treat independent contractors as employees, but Uber doesn't think the potential law will change its business. In an update, legal chief Tony West maintained that Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) would let the ridesharing company continue to classify drivers as contractors if and when it becomes law. Uber wouldn't be exempt from AB5, the company claimed -- rather, it expected to pass the test that determined drivers' status, keeping them as contractors.
Uber cuts 435 jobs in its product and engineering teams
Uber is still bleeding cash, and that's unfortunately contributing to job cuts. The ridesharing firm has laid off 435 employees in its product and engineering groups, or about 8 percent of the two divisions. The company isn't shy about the reasoning. In a statement, Uber told TechCrunch that it hired in a "decentralized way" to keep up with its startup-era growth. Now, it wants to focus on "lean, exceptionally high-performing teams." It needs to recruit more strategically, to put it another way.
Ridesharing giant Didi Chuxing will offer robotaxi service in Shanghai
Self-driving taxis are quickly becoming a reality well beyond the US. Chinese ridesharing giant Didi Chuxing has unveiled plans for a pilot robotaxi service in Shanghai's Jiading District. It'll only include 30 cars with Level 4 autonomy (full self-driving in limited areas and conditions) and will start with a mix of driverless and helmed vehicles to deal with the "complex traffic and road conditions" of the city. Nonetheless, there's a real chance you'll be the only human in the vehicle if you're hailing a ride to Shanghai University.
Via shares its ride-pooling technology with NYC public schools
Modern-day ride-hailing technology will soon be used to improve the New York City school bus system. Fast Company reported today that transportation company Via -- which offers on-demand ride-sharing in select cities -- will license its technology to the New York City Department of Education. Via's algorithm, which pools passengers from nearby areas and creates an efficient route for drivers to deliver them to their destination, will now do the same for school buses. Parents and students will also be able to access real-time GPS tracking and updates.
NYC extends its cap on Uber and Lyft vehicles
New York City will cap the number of Uber and Lyft vehicles on its streets for another year. Today, the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) voted to extend the cap it approved last summer, which limits the number of for-hire-vehicles that can operate in the city. The rule is meant to fight traffic congestion and increase drivers' wages, but it has plenty of critics, including Uber and Lyft.
Uber and Lyft admit they're making city traffic worse
Uber and Lyft may be competitors but as the two major ridesharing companies, they also have a lot in common -- including the challenges they face. To better understand their role in city traffic patterns, the companies jointly sponsored a study to determine their combined vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in six key cities. In a surprising twist, the results got Uber to admit that ridesharing companies, or transportation network companies (TNCs), do in fact contribute to congestion.
SpaceX 'rideshare' program launches satellites for just $2.5 million
For space tech startups and other small companies doing research, one of the biggest hurdles is actually getting to space. SpaceX is looking to change that. Today, it announced a SmallSat Rideshare Program, which will allow small satellite operators to book a spot on regularly scheduled Falcon 9 launches.
Lyft acknowledges its response to sexual harassment has fallen short
Lyft acknowledges that its response to sexual harassment has fallen short in some instances. Despite the ridesharing company's attempts to position itself as a mission-driven brand with a "friendly, hospitality-oriented personality," a growing number of women say they've been harassed by drivers. To make things worse, they say, the company's response is often tone-deaf and insufficient.
Lyft adds NYC subway directions to its app
Lyft's support for public transportation will soon include one of the biggest mass transit systems on the planet. The ridesharing firm is rolling out access to real-time New York City subway directions through its app over the months ahead, giving locals a one-stop directory for some of the most common transportation options in town. You'll still have to pay with your MetroCard (or a tap of your phone), but you could use just one app to take a Lyft car to an urgent meeting, the subway for your return and a Citi Bike for the last leg of the journey.
Gogoro brings its on-demand electric scooter rentals to Taiwan
Gogoro is expanding its on-demand scooter rental service. In August, the two-wheeled, electric Smartscooters will be available as part of a ridesharing program in Taiwan called GoShare. The scooters will use Gogoro's swappable batteries, so instead of stopping to charge the vehicles, riders can pick up a new battery at a GoStation and be back on the road in a matter of minutes.
Lyft outlines its disaster response strategy
Lyft just illustrated how it will respond in the middle of a crisis. The company has introduced a Disaster Relief Access Program that promises support for people in affected areas. In situations when the roads are safe, the ridesharing firm will typically hand out free codes both through its own social network avenues as well as local news outlets, non-profits and Facebook's Crisis Response Hub. It'll also honor emergency declarations that affect road closures and pricing, including caps on Prime Time (read: surge pricing).
Lyft wants to be your ride to and from concerts
Lyft is hitting the music festival circuit this summer. The ridesharing company announced today a partnership with entertainment giant AEG to be the exclusive rideshare, bike and scooter partner a number of major music events. Lyft will be on hand at 16 venues and available in eight major markets where music festivals are behind held.
Lyft offers non-emergency rides to Medicaid patients in Arizona
Lyft will offer rides to more people in need of them for health reasons, as it's signed up to become a Medicaid provider in Arizona. Non-emergency medical transportation rides will be covered for eligible patients. Lyft is also working on expanding the program to Medicare services in other states.
Volvo and Uber's first self-driving car is ready for the road
Two years later, Volvo and Uber are ready to show off their first purpose-built self-driving car. They've introduced a variant of the XC90 SUV that's designed to accept and work with Uber's autonomous driving system from the outset. It packs sensors both above and built-in to help the vehicle navigate city streets on its own. Safety-conscious Volvo, however, is keen to tout "several" backup systems for braking, steering and power that will bring the SUV to a controlled stop if the main components fail.
California advances bill offering protections to gig economy workers
Gig economy companies like Uber and Lyft have fought hard to avoid treating workers as full-fledged employees, but they might not have much choice in California before long. The state Assembly has passed a bill, AB5, that would require businesses to prove that someone is an independent contractor and thus doesn't merit employee benefits. They would have to show that a worker isn't controlled by the company, isn't performing tasks at the core of the company's business and operates their own independent business. If not, they'd have to be treated as employees and receive benefits like overtime pay, minimum wages, health care and parental leave.
Lyft offers free EV charging to Portland drivers
Lyft might have a way to recruit more EV drivers: top up their cars for free. The ridesharing service has teamed up with Portland General Electric to offer free EV charging in the Oregon city's metro area to eligible drivers from July 1st onward. There will only be a "number of locations" that support it (including Hillsboro station). Still, it could be easier for drivers to work for Lyft knowing they won't have to wait for recharges and spend some of their hard-earned pay.
Lyft has completed 55,000 self-driving rides in Las Vegas
One year ago, Lyft launched its self-driving ride service in Las Vegas. Today, the company announced its 30-vehicle fleet has made 55,000 trips. That makes it the largest commercial program of its kind in the US. Unsurprisingly, Lyft says it's thrilled. "So far, we've been very pleased with what we've heard from our passengers taking a self-driving ride with us in Las Vegas," the company wrote in a blog post.
Fiat Chrysler may strike Renault deal to survive changing car industry
Fiat Chrysler hasn't been on the cutting edge of automotive change as of late. Unless you count concepts like the Centoventi, the company hasn't done much with EVs -- and its support for autonomy mostly involves supplying minivans to Waymo. The automaker might make a huge deal that could prepare it for the future, though. Financial Times sources have claimed that Fiat Chrysler is in advanced talks to create "extensive ties" with Renault to help it cope with a changing industry. It might even join the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance in the future, although the tipsters cautioned that nothing was set at this stage.
Lyft's low-cost Shared Saver rides come to six more US cities
Lyft's frugal Shared Saver option is now available to many more people. The ridesharing service ahs trotted out its most affordable option to six more large US cities, including Atlanta, Las Vegas, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle. The principle remains the same: if you're comfortable with both sharing a ride and walking short distances, you can save a bit of cash versus demanding exact pick-ups and drop-offs.
A sixth of ridesharing cars have unfixed safety recalls
It's not just ridesharing drivers that merit some safety concerns -- the car might be a risk as well. Consumer Reports has conducted a study indicating that 16.2 percent of the nearly 94,000 ride hailing cars it identified in New York City and King County (including Uber, Lyft and smaller outfits like Juno), Washington had at least one unaddressed safety recall. About 1.4 percent of total rides had Takata's faulty airbags, while 25 had "at least" five open recalls.
