Tag

Uber

All articles tagged with #uber

business2 days ago•10 min saved

Uber Bets on Hybrid Networks to Shape AV Regulation and Slow Robotaxi Adoption

Uber is pursuing a strategy to be the platform connecting riders to both human drivers and autonomous vehicles, signing deals with multiple AV makers while pushing for 'hybrid network' rules that would keep human drivers involved for years and potentially bottleneck standalone robotaxi apps in places like New Jersey and Washington, D.C. The effort, framed as worker protection and competition control, complements Uber’s existing partnerships with firms like Waymo as it seeks to influence AV regulation and market structure.

via WIRED|

#autonomous-vehicles #business #hybrid-networks

california-politics26 days ago•5 min saved

California ballot duel: Uber liability cap vs. safety crackdown

Two California ballot measures qualified for November: Uber seeks to cap auto-collision payouts and attorneys’ fees, while the Consumer Attorneys of California aim to hold Uber liable for driver sexual misconduct and impose tighter safety standards; the high-stakes, multimillion-dollar campaign could be avoided if the sides strike a deal before June 25.

via Politico|

#ballot-measures #california #california-politics

technology27 days ago•18 min saved

Uber-Lucid Robotaxi Expands to Houston as Intel Advances 18A-P

Uber and Lucid announce Houston as the second city for their robotaxi service, with autonomous rides expected in 2027 after San Francisco; Intel says its 18A-P process node has entered initial production as part of its turnaround to compete with TSMC. The broader news slate also includes SpaceX planning to buy Cursor for $60 billion and Microsoft unveiling Surface laptops/Pro devices powered by Snapdragon X2 CPUs.

via Yahoo Finance|

#houston #intel #lucid

business28 days ago•153 min saved

Consumer Reports Finds Widespread Ride-Price Gaps in Uber and Lyft Fueled by AI

Consumer Reports’ investigation found that Uber and Lyft routinely quote different prices for the same ride booked at nearly the same moment, with a median gap around 50% across dozens of routes. The test, involving 174 volunteers across 18 states, also uncovered discounts CR calls fake or misleading. The study estimated Uber/Lyft capture about 43–50% of each fare. Both companies deny personalizing base fares or using surveillance pricing, but CR says observed price variation can’t be fully explained by obvious market factors, and regulators in several states are weighing limits on personalized pricing.

via Consumer Reports|

#ai #business #lyft

business28 days ago•6 min saved

Rivian downsizes customer-facing teams as R2 launches

Rivian laid off hundreds—less than 2% of its workforce, primarily from service and customer-facing roles—just a week after starting R2 deliveries, the fourth round of cuts since 2024 as it seeks profitability amid heavy losses and a high-stakes mass-market launch. The move comes as Uber plans a substantial investment in Rivian and its autonomy program, highlighting investor pressure even as the company ramps the R2.

via Electrek|

#business #layoffs #profitability

business28 days ago•5 min saved

Same ride, different price: Consumer Reports finds wide fare gaps on Uber and Lyft

Consumer Reports’ study of 174 volunteers pricing over 40 routes across 18 states found Uber and Lyft often quote markedly different prices for the exact same ride, with a median gap of about 50% and some routes showing fares from $25 to $65 for the same origin-destination. The differences persist even when requests are made within minutes of each other. While dynamic pricing and real-time conditions explain some variability, the report raises questions about potential personalized or ‘surveillance’ pricing. Both companies deny using personalized pricing, noting that prices reflect trip characteristics, demand, supply, and promotions. Experts advise comparing prices across apps to ensure the lowest fare.

via NBC News|

#business #lyft #price-discrimination

business28 days ago•7 min saved

AI pricing creates wide price gaps on Uber and Lyft rides, investigation finds

Consumer Reports’ investigation finds Uber and Lyft use opaque AI pricing that can price the same ride very differently for riders ordering within minutes of each other, with a median 50% gap and some New York City routes as high as 152%; it also shows many so-called discounts are fake, while both companies deny personal-data-based pricing and attribute prices to market factors. The report notes profits have surged since adopting algorithmic pricing and calls for price transparency and genuine discounts.

via New York Post|

#ai #business #lyft

world1 month ago•5 min saved

Uber-Only Drop-Off Zone Near MetLife for NJ World Cup Games

New Jersey officials announced that Uber will be the only for-hire vehicle allowed near MetLife Stadium on World Cup match days, with private cars, unauthorized shuttles, and unlicensed “dollar vans” banned to prevent traffic and security issues. Attendees are urged to use approved transport such as NJ Transit trains or official shuttles, and Uber cars will be directed to the Meadowlands complex. The plan includes hundreds of standby buses and coordination with Amtrak to minimize delays, with police stepping up enforcement to deter non-Uber drop-offs.

via Gothamist|

#metlife-stadium #new-jersey #transportation

sports1 month ago•4 min saved

Hochul Offers 500 Free World Cup Tickets to NY Families and Frontline Heroes

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced 500 free World Cup tickets for New Yorkers, allocated to working families with kids, first responders, veterans and military families, distributed through the YMCA chapters across NYC, Long Island, Westchester and Rockland, in partnership with Tunnel to Towers and with Uber support; each ticket includes a free round-trip shuttle to the NY/NJ Stadium.

via ABC7 Eyewitness News|

#free-tickets #hochul #sports

business1 month ago•1 min saved

Breast Milk, Butterflies and More: Uber’s 10-Year Lost & Found Reveals Backseat Surprises

Uber’s 10th annual Lost & Found Index catalogs a decade of quirky rider leftovers from an ankle monitor to live butterflies and breast milk. The report notes New York City as the most forgetful city and Sundays as the busiest forgetful day, highlights evolving trends (AirPods, vaccine cards and masks, Ozempic, Labubu plushies), and underscores Uber’s dominance in the U.S. rideshare market with over a million phones reported lost in the past year.

via BBC|

#bizarreitems #business #lostandfound

technology1 month ago•3 min saved

Robotaxis accrue a bizarre lost-and-found catalog as Uber expands self-driving fleet

Uber’s Lost and Found Index now includes items left in robotaxis from its growing autonomous-car partners (Waymo, Motional, Avride) as self-driving trips rise, though they still account for under 1% of rides. Riders leave both common items—phones, wallets, keys, glasses—and odd leftovers like a bowling ball, a unicorn Beanie Baby, dentures, and designer items. Returns are handled via in-app support with a $15 courier fee or pickup at a depot, under Uber’s Autonomous Solutions program. Uber aims to expand AV trips to about 15 cities globally and become the largest robotaxi broker by 2029, with occasional mishaps like a Waymo luggage incident later covered by Waymo.

via The Verge|

#lost-and-found #robotaxis #self-driving

technology1 month ago•3 min saved

AI Token Spending Sparks ROI Debate Across Silicon Valley

A viral remark by Uber COO Andrew Macdonald about AI token usage not clearly delivering productivity gains has intensified Silicon Valley’s backlash against tokenmaxxing. As major firms push AI internally, reports show ballooning budgets and unclear ROI, with Google CEO Sundar Pichai warning about rising costs. While some defend tokenmaxxing as a necessary phase, others urge tying spending to concrete metrics rather than token counts; Jellyfish’s study suggests top token users don’t proportionally outperform peers, underscoring calls for better cost controls. Investors are divided, from caution about an AI bubble to defenders like Garry Tan, reflecting a wider debate over AI’s financial sustainability and real-world impact.

via Business Insider|

#ai #budgets #roi

transportation1 month ago•51 min saved

Uber weighs AI ROI as returns remain murky

Uber says it exhausted its 2026 AI budget and questions whether AI investments are delivering meaningful feature improvements, noting there’s no clear link between rising token usage for Claude Code and more useful consumer features. The company spent about $3.4 billion on R&D in 2025 and has signaled it will offset AI costs by hiring fewer human workers, highlighting the challenge of justifying AI spend without a clear productivity payoff.

via The Verge|

#ai #business #investment

business1 month ago•7 min saved

Uber's AI Spending Struggles to Prove Its Worth, Says COO

Uber's operations chief Andrew Macdonald says AI costs are hard to justify as higher token usage hasn't clearly translated into more useful consumer features; the company is slowing hiring to counter AI investments, with CEO Dara Khosrowshahi noting the trend, while peers like Duolingo are rethinking how AI affects performance reviews and outcomes.

via Business Insider|

#ai #andrew-macdonald #business

business2 months ago•3 min saved

Uber Gains After Q1 Beat, Bookings Jump as Robo-Taxi Push Looms

Uber beat expectations with Q1 adjusted earnings of 72 cents per share (vs. 69 cents expected) on revenue of $13.2 billion, which rose 10% in constant currency but fell short of a $13.3 billion estimate. Gross bookings jumped 21% to $53.7 billion, driven by 20% ride-hailing growth and 23% delivery growth. For Q2, Uber guided to 78–82 cents in adjusted EPS and gross bookings of $56.25–$57.75 billion. The stock rose about 7.8% after the report as investors weigh Uber’s solid core growth against its longer-term AV and robo-taxi bets, including partnerships with Rivian and Zoox, and expansion plans to 15 markets by 2026.

via Barron's|

#business #earnings #gross-bookings