Tag: Uber

Didi sets sights on China’s first robotaxi service in Shanghai

SHANGHAI — Didi Chuxing, China’s largest ride-hailing startup, will bring driverless taxis to Shanghai, the company announced Friday, with service to begin as soon as within the year. “Didi has the potential to become the first business to realize large-scale robotaxi service in China,” Zhang Bo, Didi’s chief technology officer, said at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in… Continue reading Didi sets sights on China’s first robotaxi service in Shanghai

Didi Chuxing to launch self-driving rides in Shanghai and expand them beyond China by 2021

Didi Chuxing will begin picking up ride-hailing passengers with self-driving cars in Shanghai in just a few months, according to company CTO Zhang Bo (via Reuters). The plan is to roll out autonomous pick-ups in Shanghai first, starting in one district of the city, and then expand the program from there – finally culminating in… Continue reading Didi Chuxing to launch self-driving rides in Shanghai and expand them beyond China by 2021

Lime, Jump, Bird pledge to remove their Miami scooters to avoid flying menaces

Hurricane Dorian’s expected landfall on Florida has Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa scrambling to remove bikes and scooters from their streets. If the devices aren’t removed from the streets, they could potentially be picked up by hurricane winds — transforming into threats to people and property. Miami has demanded that all of these mobility… Continue reading Lime, Jump, Bird pledge to remove their Miami scooters to avoid flying menaces

Uber and Lyft are putting $60 million toward keeping drivers independent contractors

In light of gig worker protection legislation Assembly Bill 5 making its way through California’s legislature, Uber and Lyft are amping up their efforts to do whatever they can to prevent it from happening. And in the event that the bill does pass, which would force Uber and Lyft to make their drivers W-2 employees,… Continue reading Uber and Lyft are putting $60 million toward keeping drivers independent contractors

Uber proposes policy that would pay drivers a minimum wage of $21 per hour

On the heels of a driver-led protest outside Uber’s San Francisco headquarters, where drivers showed their support for gig worker protections legislation (via Assembly Bill 5) and demanded a union, Uber is circulating a petition urging people to “protect ridesharing in California.” In the petition, Uber advocates for a policy that would offer drivers a… Continue reading Uber proposes policy that would pay drivers a minimum wage of $21 per hour

Anthony Levandowski, former Google engineer at center of Waymo-Uber case, charged with stealing trade secrets

Anthony Levandowski, the former Google engineer and serial entrepreneur who was at the center of a trade secrets lawsuit between Uber and Waymo, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on theft of trade secrets. The indictment, which is posted below, charges Levandowski with 33 counts of theft and attempted theft of trade secrets… Continue reading Anthony Levandowski, former Google engineer at center of Waymo-Uber case, charged with stealing trade secrets

Ford says its autonomous cars will last just four years

The automotive industry has embraced — and advertised — self-driving cars as a kind of panacea that will solve numerous problems that modern society is grappling with right now, from congestion to safety to productivity (you can work while riding!). Unfortunately, a very big question that has been almost entirely overlooked is: how long will… Continue reading Ford says its autonomous cars will last just four years

Waymo’s robot taxi service is improving, but riders still have complaints

Waymo is operating its self-driving ride-hailing service in two cities: Phoenix, with some paying customers and some riding for free, and San Francisco and the surrounding towns, with just employees as passengers. A majority of riders leave positive feedback about their experiences riding in Waymo’s robot taxis, but there are still some notable complaints, according… Continue reading Waymo’s robot taxi service is improving, but riders still have complaints

Toyota will deploy 850 electric vehicles at the Olympics, including some weird ones

Toyota is providing the official fleet for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 and 90% of them will be electric. That’s 850 electric vehicles to be deployed next year — most of them new, including some weird ones. Last month, we already reported on the short-range shuttle that Toyota is building specifically… Continue reading Toyota will deploy 850 electric vehicles at the Olympics, including some weird ones