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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 is free to operate in Italy on a long-term basis
If you're in Italy, you can use Uber. A court in Rome today annulled a temporary ban placed on Uber in early April that prevented the company from advertising and operating throughout the country. This didn't completely stop Uber from infiltrating Italy, though: The ban was suspended about a week after its implementation as the company appealed, and Uber has been allowed to operate since then. Today's ruling deletes the ban from the books entirely.
Uber's carpool service sacrifices convenience for efficiency in NYC (updated)
In the wake of its terrible, horrible, no good, very bad 2017 (yup, and it's only just May), Uber has been doing a lot of work to improve its service. As an extension of the "smart pickup points" trial from London and other cities last year, the ride-hailing company is augmenting the Uber Pool service in Manhattan, enhancing the option's awareness of more direct routes and bus lanes. "After realizing that a short walk could save people both time and money, we knew we were onto something," the outfit writes in a blog post. "Our data was starting to show that we could pick more people up and get riders to their destinations faster."
Former Google worker barred from Uber’s self-driving division by court (updated)
A judge has ruled that Uber can keep working on its autonomous vehicles with one key condition: autonomous vehicle lead Anthony Levandowski must be removed from any of Uber's LiDAR-based efforts. Prior to joining Uber, Levandowski worked for Google's Waymo division and allegedly took some 14,000 documents pertaining to LiDAR and other self-driving tech on his way out the door. He's still employed by Uber according to TechCrunch, and has voluntarily removed himself from the autonomous division as of late last month.
Uber offers insurance to US drivers, but only in certain states (updated)
Uber is once again blurring the lines between independent contractor and employee. This time the ride-hailing service is offering insurance to its drivers as part of a pilot program in Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and West Virginia according to regional publication PennLive. The injury-protection insurance is only active when a driver is logged into the app at the cost of $0.0375 per-mile. In at least a few of those markets, that will raise the per-mile price for passengers by $0.05. So, it seems the rates going up are to ensure that nothing comes out of the driver's pocket. Uber says that the increase was determined by how much the insurance would cost after taxes and fees.
Reuters: DOJ investigates Uber 'greyballing' scheme
Uber has to tell the feds how Greyball works and where exactly it was deployed now that it's facing a criminal probe over the controversial tool. According to Reuters, the Department of Justice has issued the ride-hailing firm a subpoena from a Northern California grand jury asking for documents that can answer those questions, indicating the beginning of a criminal investigation. The company used Greyball to prevent regulators from grabbing a ride in locations where the service operated without permission. Uber confirmed its existence and its questionable use of the tool after The New York Times exposed it in March.
Uber puts you in control of your user data
Uber is making removing the hurdles to deleting your account entirely. Like so many other services, simply uninstalling the app from your phone doesn't wipe your data on the company's servers. Not any more, according to The Verge. Rather than having to contact Uber support to eliminate your personal information, a forthcoming update adds the feature to the app itself. From the privacy settings you'll apparently be able to start a 30-day countdown, and after the clock hits zero your customer data will go the way of the dodo.
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 might have to pay £2 million to operate in London
Transport for London (TfL) is proposing licence fee changes that would foot Uber with a £2 million bill. The regulator opened a consultation today that would change the current two tier-system, "small" and "standard," to a more expensive five-level structure. Right now, private hire operators with two vehicles or less pay £1,488 for a five-year licence, while those with three or more pay £2,826. Under the new system, companies with more than 1,000 vehicles would fall into the highest category and have to choose from one of two payment structures: £33,304 per year, plus £14 per registered vehicle, or £166,518, plus £68 per vehicle for a five-year licence.
NYC taxi commission wants Uber to add in-app tipping
Uber has long had a complicated relationship with tips. As the company said last year, tipping is not "expected or required" when you take an Uber, and the app still does not provide an option to do so. That might change in New York City before long, though. Today, the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) announced it was supporting a petition from the Independent Driver's Guild that would require ride-hailing apps like Uber to include a tipping feature.
Uber saw rapid growth in 2016, but it still bled cash
Uber has revealed part of its financials for the first time, perhaps in effort to distract you from all the controversies it's involved with. The privately held ride-hailing company, which isn't required to publicize its earnings, has told Bloomberg that its sales growth is outpacing losses. Its gross bookings (or how much it collects from drivers) in 2016 apparently amounted to $20 billion, which is double the total from the year before. The company took home around $6.5 billion from that amount after adjustments.
Shield your address from Uber by using cross streets
If you haven't deleted Uber yet, the ride-hailing service has actually added a pretty useful feature today designed to protect user privacy. When you're typing in either a destination or pickup location, you can now enter two cross streets and get picked up or dropped off there. This helps shield your actual home address or destination from the driver. Of course, you've been able to do this when getting picked up by simply dragging the map pin to a specific location, but that doesn't help you when you're heading home.
Seattle court strikes blow to Uber driver unionization efforts
A landmark decision by Seattle's city council, which would allow drivers for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft to unionize despite being classified as independent contractors, has hit a snag according to a report from the Associated Press.
Audi's future-proofing plans include more ride sharing
Joining the likes of Maven and Sidecar from General Motors and Chariot from Ford, the Volkswagen group is eyeing a ride-sharing service of its own. Audi (part of the VW group) has announced that it intends to purchase the Austin-based Silvercar which uses Audi A4 sedans to get people around. Previously VW was pondering the market with a $300 million investment in high-end ride-share service Gett. As TechCrunch reports, Audi already had a minor stake in the company and according to a press release the two have been working together since 2012 .
Lyft will settle California drivers' lawsuit for $27 million
It's final: Lyft will have to pay $27 million to settle a proposed class action lawsuit filed by drivers in California. The ride-sharing company originally agreed to pay $12.5 million, but US District Judge Vince Chhabria felt that it was too small and that it short-changed the plaintiffs. Drivers who've put in the least amount of time (around 30 hours) for the company would've only received $1,000 under the original terms. The same judge has now given the higher amount his final approval.
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.
Uber offers UK drivers free English course ahead of compulsory test
Uber only works if a huge number of drivers are at its disposal. (Surge pricing helps when demand outstrips supply, but it's not a silver bullet.) To achieve that critical mass, the company is constantly introducing and juggling new incentives against its otherwise aggressive business model. The latest additions for the UK include FlexPay, an option that allows drivers to bank their fares before their usual end of week payment. Account transfers will take up to three working days, but still, it could be a useful option for drivers who need some cash in a pinch.
Uber CEO Travis Kalanick leaves Trump's advisory council (updated)
After a week including widespread #DeleteUber protests against his company, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick told employees today that he is no longer participating on President Donald Trump's economic advisory council. In a message obtained by the New York Times, Kalanick said: "Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that."
Uber tweaks its app to make UberPool rides more convenient
UberPool is one of the cheaper ride-hailing options, grouping nearby passengers who are headed in the same direction. The problem is that all of those pickups and drop-offs can be time consuming. To help, Uber has announced a raft of new features for its mobile apps, including status notifications for riders. Once you've confirmed a booking, that means you'll receive "real-time instructions" and updates such as "leaving shortly" and "be ready outside." Drivers, meanwhile, will find a timer in the app specifying how long to wait at the pick-up point. If the passenger doesn't appear, they're free to move on and claim a no-show fee from Uber.
Ford CEO Mark Fields looks to a future beyond car ownership
Ford CEO Mark Fields has been moving the automaker into ventures outside of its normal core business of selling cars for a few years now. His LA Auto Show keynote touched on the company's current undertakings and future plans. Engadget sat down to talk with Fields about the automaker's post-car-ownership road map, its partnerships with public transportation and the company's plan to bring autonomous taxis to the market in 2021.
