The LegalRideshare Podcast

Drivers get the greenlight to unionize, Waymo hires lobbyists and Lyft kills tips. LegalRideshare breaks it down. NEWSOM SIGNS BILL — CA DRIVERS CAN UNIONIZE Drivers in CA can soon unionize. TechCrunch reported: Drivers for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft will soon have the right to unionize in California as independent contractors, thanks to a bill signed Friday by Governor Gavin Newsom. This is part of a larger deal between lawmakers, unions, and ride-hailing companies, resulting in the passage of separate bills supporting lower insurance requirements for Uber and Lyft, along with union rights for their drivers. When the deal was first announced in August, Newsom described it as a “historic agreement between workers and business that only California could deliver.” The Associated Press reports that more than 800,000 drivers will gain the right to join a union and collectively bargain for better pay and benefits. Ramona Prieto, Uber's head of public policy for California, told the AP in a statement that the two bills “represent a compromise that lowers costs for riders while creating stronger voices for drivers.” WAYMO HIRES LOBBYISTS Waymo hires lobbyists. Axios reported: Waymo recently hired four lobbyists from a local firm, state disclosures show, signaling that it's gearing up to push for a green light to test — and eventually launch — its autonomous vehicles in Minnesota. Teicher didn't respond to Axios' question about Waymo's specific policy goals, but said the company is “engaging with regulators and lawmakers across the globe” to explain its technology in hopes of expanding to more markets. DFL Rep. Erin Koegel, co-chair of the House transportation committee, said she was “more skeptical and a little bit more apprehensive” about autonomous vehicles in previous sessions. LYFT KILLS TIP FEATURE Lyft kills the tips feature. News Nation reported: Lyft has scrapped a test feature that let some drivers see how often passengers tip before accepting a ride. “While this experiment showed early signs of improving the marketplace and helping riders to get to where they need to go on time, we heard our customers and cancelled the experiment,” a Lyft spokesperson told NewsNation in an email Thursday. The decision comes after screenshots of the feature drew criticism on social media, with some vowing to stop using the popular rideshare service. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

Attorney Bryant Greening lays out his concerns over Robotaxi safety and lack of regulations. .:: LEGALRIDESHARE WEBSITE ::.https://www.legalrideshare.com/ .:: SOCIAL MEDIA ::.YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalrideshareFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LegalRideshareInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalrideshare/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalrideshareTwitter (X): https://x.com/LegalRideshare .:: Spotify Audio Podcast (*consider leaving a review) ::.https://open.spotify.com/show/6I4cCdm... .:: Apple Audio Podcast (*consider leaving a review) ::.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... .:: ABOUT LEGALRIDESHARE ::.LegalRideshare is the only law firm dedicated entirely to helping injured drivers, riders and victims after rideshare accidents and injuries. CONSULTATIONS ARE ALWAYS FREE.

Tesla's FSD is a mess, thoughts on Uber's pilot program and Waymo goes B2B. LegalRideshare breaks it down. TESLA'S FSD TROUBLES Press enter or click to view image in full size People are calling Tesla's FSD a “mess”. Forbes reported: During a 90-minute test drive in Los Angeles, in residential neighborhoods and freeways, the 2024 Model Y with Tesla's latest hardware and software (Hardware 4, FSD version 13.2.9) ignored some standard traffic signs and posted speed limits; didn't slow at a pedestrian crossing with a flashing sign and people present; made pointless lane changes and accelerated at odd times, such as while exiting a crowded freeway with a red light at the end of the ramp. There's also no indication the company has fixed a worrisome glitch identified two years ago: stopping for a flashing school bus sign indicating that children may be about to cross a street. In fact, there are so many easy-to-find problems with the feature, recently redubbed “Full-Self Driving (Supervised),” it raises a question: Why is the $8,000 feature, or a $99 a month subscription, even legal in its current form? Turns out, there's a simple answer: “Driving-assist systems are unregulated, so there are no concerns about legality,” said Missy Cummings, a George Mason University professor and AI expert who has advised the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on autonomous vehicles. “NHTSA has the authority to step in, but up to now they've only stepped in for poor driver monitoring.” NHTSA, which opened an investigation last month into Tesla's failure to report FSD and Autopilot accidents in a timely manner, said it “does not pre-approve new technologies or vehicle systems.” Instead, it's up to carmakers to certify that vehicles and technologies meet federal safety standards. If an investigation finds a system to be unsafe, “NHTSA will take any necessary actions to protect road safety,” a spokesperson said. UBER'S WOMEN-ONLY SERVICE Uber has rolled out its women-only service. But is it working? Knowledge at Wharton explains: Uber announced the program, called Women Preferences, in July and has since rolled it out in Los Angeles, Detroit, and San Francisco. The company said the initiative is in response to feedback from women saying they want the option to be matched to other women. Allegations of sexual assault have plagued the ride-hail industry almost since its inception. While a vast majority of Uber's trips are without incident, court records revealed that more than 400,000 Uber trips between 2017 and 2022 resulted in reports of sexual assault or sexual misconduct, according to The New York Times. But Cameron said for the program to succeed in the United States, Uber has to get enough women drivers on the road to meet the demand without significantly increasing wait times. That's a challenge because the company has said most of its drivers are men. Lyft, the second-largest ride-hail operator in the U.S., already has a gender-based program called Women+ Connect that launched in 2023. It allows women and nonbinary drivers to match with women and nonbinary passengers. It said wait times were the same, although it did not provide details. In an August 2024 press release, Lyft said there were early indications that the program was incentivizing more female drivers to get behind the wheel. When the program started, women and nonbinary drivers were getting matched with women and nonbinary riders 50% of the time. In a year, that number had increased to 66%. WAYMO ENTERPRISE SERVICE Waymo goes B2B. Bloomberg reported: Dubbed “Waymo for Business,” the new enterprise offering targets employers, universities and event organizers that have subsidized transportation programs in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, where Waymo currently offers paid trips on its own app. The interface allows corporations to manage discount codes, track rides and plan budgets, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. The Alphabet Inc.-owned self-driving car unit is inviting organizations to register for the tool — at no extra cost — after piloting it with several firms. One of those named in the statement is the used-car platform Carvana Co., which has provided Waymo rides for employees and guests at its events. Commuters are a key demographic for ride-hailing services. Waymo said one in six of its users in those three markets rely on it for traveling to work or school. For Uber Technologies Inc., commutes comprised nearly 30% of its rideshare and delivery bookings in 2024. Those trips similarly made up more than a third of Lyft Inc.'s total rides in the first quarter. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

Tourists pay for the AV experience, Waymo lands at SFO and Lyft testing tipping riders. LegalRideshare breaks it down. TOURISTS PAY HUNRDREDS FOR WAYMO Tourists are using Waymo as it's own adventure. SF Chronicle reported: From February to August, Mihaly booked 10 Waymo tours in which clients would ride the autonomous vehicles to such prominent landmarks as Alamo Square, Twin Peaks and the Golden Gate Bridge. At $149 for a three-hour, three-ride “experience,” these jaunts became so popular that Mihaly began offering them in Los Angeles, Waymo's other flagship market in California. She had four Waymo tours on the calendar as of Aug. 18, the day the self-driving car juggernaut sent a cease-and-desist letter. Mihaly had, it turned out, violated the company's terms and conditions for brand display. Clearly, Waymo's bedrock consumers are the regular commuters who might otherwise hail rides with Uber or Lyft. But some experts say the company would be wise to divert some of its focus to tourists, who might pay more money for the thrill of an autonomous ride. WAYMO AT SFO Press enter or click to view image in full size Waymo lands at SFO. SF.gov explains: Mayor Daniel Lurie today announced that the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has signed a Testing and Operations Pilot Permit for autonomous vehicles with Waymo, allowing the company to begin operating at the airport. Operations will be rolled out in three phases, including testing the vehicles with a human driver, testing the vehicles without a human driver with Waymo and airport employees, and eventually beginning commercial operations. The permit allows Waymo to access portions of the airport to test and pilot autonomous vehicle operations on designated roads and property and will be rolled out in three phases. Phases include: Phase 1: Testing autonomous vehicles in autonomous mode with a trained specialist behind the wheel Phase 2: Testing passenger service in fully autonomous mode with Waymo employees and designated airport staff as passengers Phase 3: Piloting commercial operations of paid-for-hire autonomous services for Waymo customers The pilot permit follows a comprehensive review process, including safety protocols and data reporting requirements. Under the terms of the agreement, Waymo will operate within strict safety and reporting conditions to ensure dependable service for trips to and from SFO. LYFT TO TELL DRIVERS IF RIDER TIPS Press enter or click to view image in full size Lyft is letting drivers know if their rider tips. Bloomberg reported: Lyft Inc. is testing a feature that will tell drivers how often a rider tips and how punctual they are, providing additional information drivers can use when deciding which trips are worth their time. Lyft drivers typically decide whether to accept a passenger based on information such as what the trip pays, the time and distance to the pick-up and drop-off points, and the rider's rating. The company is now also showing “rider tipped on X% of rides” and “rider is usually ready at pickup,” according to a screenshot shared by a Boston-based driver on X. Lyft is testing the feature with a “limited number” of drivers, a spokesperson said in response to a Bloomberg News inquiry, and said the company will gather data and community feedback before deciding on a broader roll-out. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

Waymo heads to Denver, Lyft AVs hit Atlanta and the government sues Uber. LegalRideshare breaks it down. WAYMO IS IN DENVER Photo Credit: Waymo Waymo lands in Denver. Jalopnik reported: In both cities, Waymo will take the gradual rollout approach it's used in the past. The first step will be coordinating with local officials in the areas it intends to operate. Then its Jaguar I-Pace and Zeekr vehicles will begin scanning the area with human drivers in command. Later, the vehicles will take control under close supervision, and will only take passengers once Waymo is satisfied that its robotaxis are fully ready for Denver and Seattle. Community response is mixed. According to Denver 7, some are genuinely interested in the technology and believe in its potential safety benefits. However, taxi and rideshare drivers are concerned about losing their jobs to automated taxis like Waymo, says KING 5, as we've seen in other cities like Boston. Some are also concerned about how capable these vehicles will be in Denver's snowy winter conditions. LYFT ROBOTAXI SERVICE IN ATLANTA Photo Credit: Lyft Lyft robotaxis enter the Atlanta market. Reuters reported: Lyft and autonomous vehicle startup May Mobility will launch a pilot robotaxi service in Atlanta starting from Wednesday, the companies said, marking the partnership's first public deployment. Customers using the standard Lyft app will be able to hail Toyota Sienna minivans retrofitted by May Mobility on routes in and around Midtown Atlanta, with fares comparable to regular rides. The companies will start with a small fleet, with trained in-vehicle operators on board to answer questions and take control if needed. “We'll start in the single digits of cars, move up to dozens, and over time to hundreds and thousands,” Jeremy Bird, Lyft's executive vice president of driver experience told Reuters. Neither Bird nor May Mobility CEO Edwin Olson gave a timeline for expansion. US GOV. SUES UBER OVER DISCRIMINATION The US government sued Uber for discrimination over disabled passengers. The Guardian reported: The US government sued Uber on Thursday, accusing the ride-sharing company of violating federal law by discriminating against passengers with disabilities. In a complaint filed in San Francisco federal court, the US Department of Justice said Uber drivers routinely refuse to serve riders with disabilities, including people who travel with service animals or stowable wheelchairs. The department also said Uber and its drivers illegally charge cleaning fees for service animals, and cancellation fees to riders who are denied service. Some drivers also allegedly insult and demean people with disabilities, or refuse reasonable requests such as letting mobility-impaired passengers sit in the front seat. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

CA drivers can unionize, a passenger can't get a ride and riders pay with cash. LegalRideshare breaks it down. CA DRIVERS CAN FORM UNION Drivers in California can now unionize. LA Times reported: Gov. Gavin Newsom and California lawmakers on Friday announced a landmark deal with Uber and Lyft to allow hundreds of thousands of rideshare drivers to unionize and bargain collectively while still being classified as independent contractors. The compromise between labor unions and the Silicon Valley companies, backed by Newsom, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire, would advance a collective bargaining bill through the Legislature along with a bill backed by Uber and Lyft that would significantly reduce the companies' insurance requirements. With support from Rivas and McGuire, both bills are expected to sail through the Legislature before the session ends in mid-September. The agreement does not apply to other types of gig workers, including those who deliver food through apps like DoorDash. Currently, the companies must carry $1 million in coverage per rideshare driver for accidents caused by other drivers who are uninsured or underinsured. The companies have argued that current insurance requirements are so high that they encourage litigation for insurance payouts and create higher costs for passengers. The agreement instead calls for $60,000 in uninsured motorist coverage per rideshare driver and $300,000 per accident. DISABLED PASSENGER CAN'T GET RIDES A Chicago woman get can't rides. CBS New reported: Becca Shrier relies on Uber to get around, only she said it's nearly impossible to find a car that will pick her up where she can reach it. “I have been fighting for five months to be picked up on my side of the street,” she said. Shrier uses a cane to get around, and can only stand for short periods of time. She said, when she calls an Uber, she is only able to message a driver about her disability after arranging a ride, and most times the driver doesn't adjust their pickup spot. Pace said it was not aware of others with this issue, and Uber did not respond with an official statement, even after CBS News Chicago spoke with company representatives on the phone and via email. RIDERS PAY WITH CASH Riders can now pay with cash. San Francisco Chronicle reported: To use the feature, riders must confirm their account is verified in the “Account” section of the Uber app. When requesting a trip, they can select “Cash” under payment options. At the end of the ride, the fare is paid directly to the driver. Uber recommends bringing smaller bills, because drivers may not always carry change. If a rider overpays, the extra amount will be credited as Uber Cash to use on future rides or Uber Eats orders. If a fare isn't fully paid, the balance must be cleared in the app before another trip can be booked. There are limits. Cash rides are not available between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., and the option cannot be used for scheduled trips through Uber Reserve. Riders also can't change destinations or add stops mid-trip when paying with cash. Tips aren't supported in the app for these rides, but passengers can give drivers cash directly. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

A passenger gets assaulted, epic robotaxi fail and Uber pays $15M. LegalRideshare breaks it down. RIDESHARE PASSENGER ASSAULTED A rideshare passenger was assaulted in Chicago. CBS News reported: According to Chicago police, the 29-year-old woman was assaulted in the 800 block of West Superior Street, just west of Halsted Street and close to the Bally's Chicago casino construction site, around 2:30 a.m. Police sources said the suspected the victim was a rideshare passenger. She was taken to St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital for an evaluation. The driver of the gray Toyota Prius in which the woman had been a passenger tried to pull away and flee, but he struck a pole and was taken into police custody, police said. “Ultimately, we want to make sure that people to have the tools necessary to arm themselves with safe practices anytime that they use a rideshare,” said Bryant Greening of Legal Rideshare, the first firm in the U.S. entirely dedicated to Uber, Lyft and other rideshare-related accident and injury claims. “If something feels off about the ride, don't get in the car. If during the ride, something goes wrong, contact the police or contact a loved one right away,” Bryant said. “Those senses we have that something seems slightly off? They're usually right.” TESLA ROBOTAXI FAIL Tesla's robotaxi has an epic fail. The Street reported. Frank Downing and Sam Korus, two of Ark's research directors, filmed themselves taking a field trip (or a “real world use case,” as Korus puts it) in the Robotaxi in Austin. Our Ark hero Frank Downing gets into a third Robotaxi (it's easy to keep track, since the safety monitor keeps changing), and that's when the trouble starts. The autonomous vehicle pulls into the left turning lane on a two-way street before it glitches and starts jerking aggressively, as if it didn't know what to do next. The video is edited after that, but from what can be gathered, the safety monitor turns on the hazard lights and calls for live support, as Tesla Robotaxis are designed for remote supervision. The vehicle is stuck in the left turning lane despite being otherwise fully operational, as the passenger and monitor wait for tech support. UBER EATS TO PAY $15M SETTLEMENT Uber Eats pays up. King5 reported: The company will pay $14,991,841.49 in back pay, interest, damages and civil penalties to 16,120 affected workers by Sept. 1 as part of the settlement, which was reached July 18. It will also pay the city of Seattle $33,680.26 in fines. The first investigation found Uber Eats violated the city's Independent Contractor Protections law. A worker complained about the company's Boost promotion, where Uber Eats advertised Boost earnings multipliers during busy times and locations. It said workers could multiply their base fare by a specific number on a map and add earnings to delivery fares. However, the OLS investigation found Uber Eats didn't disclose that the Boost multiplier only applied to part of the worker's fare and that the dollar amount shown already included contributions from the promotion. The investigation also found Uber Eats paid workers less than the amount shown on pre-work offer cards. The majority of the settlement — more than $13 million — was related to alleged violations of the Independent Contractor Protections law. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

People wait for bots, trash-talking Tesla and delivery drivers get targeted. LegalRideshare breaks it down. RIDERS AVOID HUMAN DRIVERS Riders are canceling rides with human drivers. Business Insider reported: In June, the ride-hailing service started offering the option to ride in autonomous vehicles in Atlanta through Uber's partnership with Waymo. It's the latest city where the company is experimenting with robotaxis as it looks to keep up with competing offerings from rivals like Tesla and Lyft. These driverless vehicles seem to be amassing a contingent of enthusiasts who prefer them over human drivers. While Uber users cannot guarantee that they'll get a ride in a Waymo in Atlanta, some are working the system to get paired with one. To find a Waymo, Galesic said, he has turned down about 20 human Uber drivers on average. “The fact that it's so challenging to get has turned it into a game,” he said. WAYMO TRASH TALKS TESLA Waymo founder has a message for Tesla: “What robotaxi?”. Electrek reported: Waymo founder and former CEO John Krafcik is a critic of Tesla's approach to self-driving, and he has so far accurately predicted the rollout of the “Robotaxi” service. He is now taking another dig at Tesla. There's a Tesla employee in the front seat of every “Robotaxi” in the fleet, which is only about a dozen vehicles, based on crowdsource data, which is the only data available, as Tesla doesn't release any. In new comments (via Business Insider), Krafcik makes it clear that he doesn't consider this to be a “robotaxi” service: “Please let me know when Tesla launches a robotaxi — I'm still waiting. It's (rather obviously) not a robotaxi if there's an employee inside the car.” More recently, Tesla expanded its “Robotaxi” service area to the Bay Area in California, but it again has an employee in the car, this time in the driver's seat. Krafcik commented: “If they were striving to re-create today's Bay Area Uber experience, looks like they've absolutely nailed it.” IMMIGRANT DELIVERY DRIVERS ON EDGE Immigrant delivery drivers are being targeted. NBC News reported: When his driver took longer than usual, DeSue checked the app and noticed something seemed wrong — the delivery driver's GPS location had stopped short of his address. He went outside to look for him. “I stepped into the street, I looked down and see lights in the direction, like police lights, in the direction of where my driver was,” DeSue said in an interview. “It was my driver by himself and, like, nine different officers all wearing different uniforms. … Most of them had face coverings on.” The men then cuff Sidi's hands, waist and feet before they put him in an unmarked car. DeSue said he has since reported the incident to Uber. NBC News has not been able to verify the driver's full name, nationality or location, and Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Sunday afternoon, DeSue said, an area where 15 to 20 delivery drivers typically would be parked out front of his home looking at their phones for their next orders was an empty lot. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

We chat with Attorney Bryant Greening about accidents, injuries and everything you need to know. LegalRideshare breaks it down.

Lyft gets a bus, Uber loses in court and workers get targeted. LegalRideshare breaks it down. LYFT AV SHUTTLE Zoom image will be displayed Credit: Lyft Lyft gets autonomous shuttles. TechCrunch reported: Lyft will add autonomous shuttles made by Austrian manufacturer Benteler Group to its network in late 2026, the company announced Friday. The shuttles will be deployed in partnership with U.S. cities and airports, according to Lyft, but could expand out from there if things go well. The partnership will let Lyft use urban electric shuttles made by Benteler's mobility division under the Holon brand. The shuttles will not have a steering wheel or pedals and will feature inward-facing seats for up to nine seated and six standing passengers, according to Bloomberg News, which first reported the Benteler partnership on Friday. UBER VS UK SUPREME COURT Zoom image will be displayed Uber loses in UK court. Reuters reported: Uber's rival taxi operators in England and Wales will not face a 20% VAT charge on their profit margins outside of London after the ride-hailing firm lost its appeal on Tuesday against a previous ruling. Uber had sought a declaration that rival private-hire taxi operators enter into a contract with passengers, meaning operators must charge a 20% value added tax (VAT) outside London as Uber is required to do. Uber then brought an appeal to the Supreme Court, which on Tuesday unanimously dismissed the appeal, ruling that operators are not required to enter into a contract with passengers. UBER VS NYC COURIER RULES Zoom image will be displayed Uber says their immigrant workers are getting singled out. Bloomberg reported: Uber Technologies Inc. is pushing back on a new NYC proposal requiring delivery app workers to display company-issued identification numbers on reflective vests, saying it “singles out” immigrant workers for “heightened surveillance and control.” The new rules, proposed Monday by Mayor Eric Adams in the name of worker safety, would mandate that companies like Uber and DoorDash Inc. issue identification cards containing a unique number alongside the name and photo of each courier. They would be required to produce it upon demand of a police officer or others “authorized by law.” The new requirements would expose its delivery couriers, which includes 35,000 immigrant workers, “to police scrutiny — even in the absence of any violation,” said Josh Gold, an Uber spokesperson, who added that the administration did not engage with the company on the proposal. The company will engage on the rules moving forward, he said.

LA drivers targeted, Uber partners with Lucid and they're coming for your apps. LegalRideshare breaks it down. LA UBER EATS DRIVERS ROBBED Uber Eats drivers in LA are getting robbed. ABC7 reported: During Tuesday's police commission meeting, Chief Jim McDonnell said there have been eight different incidents involving Uber Eats drivers reported this year. He said they've also seen more taco stand robberies with five reported in the Wilshire, Hollywood and northeast L.A. areas. He said those taco stand robberies involved two male suspects. McDonnell said officers are pursuing leads and hope to make arrests soon. Anyone with information is urged to contact police. UBER PARTNERS WITH LUCID: ROBOTAXIS BY 2026 Uber is expanding its robotaxi partners. Bloomberg reported: Uber announced Thursday it will purchase and operate Lucid Gravity SUVs outfitted with Nuro Driver technology on its ride-sharing network. The company aims to launch the first vehicle later in 2026 in an unidentified major US city, with plans to deploy at least 20,000 of the robotaxis over six years. The ride-sharing company also announced it's making separate multi-hundred-million dollar investments in both Lucid and Nuro. That funding will include $300 million for Lucid that will be used in part to upgrade to its assembly line to integrate Nuro hardware into the Gravity vehicles, according to the EV company. The Lucid-Nuro deal adds to more than a dozen partnerships that Uber has announced with autonomous vehicle tech developers and carmakers, including Waymo and Volkswagen Group of America, as it aims to be the go-to commercial app for robotaxis. Earlier this week, Uber announced a partnership with Chinese AV maker Baidu to deploy robotaxis in several non-US markets. Currently autonomous rides are available through the Uber app in Phoenix, Austin, Atlanta and Abu Dhabi. UBER TRIES STOPPING GIGU/MYSTRO Uber is coming for your driver apps. Business Insider reported: As gig workers' incomes have dropped, some Uber and Lyft drivers are turning to apps like GigU, Maxymo, and Mystro to help them work smarter — and dodge the lowest-paying rides. Some of the apps have recently encountered roadblocks in the form of rideshare giants Uber and Lyft, which argue that using the third-party apps runs afoul of their terms of service. An Uber representative said they wouldn't talk about any specific app, but said “using third-party tools to bypass the system breaks our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. It hurts riders, other drivers, and the trust that keeps Uber running.” They aren't free, but they say drivers can increase their earnings by more than what the tools cost, which ranges from $5 to $19 a month. Some drivers have previously told BI that they can make more money if they're pickier about the rides they accept, though for Uber drivers, declining rides based on destinations can put their accounts at risk. Now, it's the one cracking down. GigU, which launched in the United States in May, was sued by Uber in Brazil, where it says its app has been downloaded a half-million times. GigU says it has come out ahead, although Uber has said the legal process is ongoing. GigU also said it has filed an antitrust complaint against Uber with CADE, a Brazilian regulator. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

Robot deliveries, Waymo arrives in Philly and teens get accounts. LegalRideshare breaks it down. UBER EATS ROBOTS ARE HERE Robots are delivering your food. New York Post adds: Uber has partnered with Avride to bring autonomous robots to the streets.These delivery robots are about the size of a carry-on suitcase and can move along sidewalks at speeds of up to five miles per hour. Each robot carries up to 55 pounds of food or drinks, including large pizza orders and bottles. With features like LIDAR, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors, the robots can detect obstacles from 200 feet away. They recognize traffic lights and navigate crowded sidewalks with ease. These robots work around the clock. Rain or shine, they keep moving. Right now, Uber Eats robot delivery is live in multiple US cities. Austin, Texas, was the first to launch the sidewalk robot program and Dallas is next. In New Jersey, Jersey City has already rolled out the robots in neighborhoods like Hamilton Park, Historic Downtown, and the Waterfront. Some cities in Ohio are also part of the program. Uber and Avride plan to deploy hundreds of delivery robots by the end of 2025. WAYMO HEADS TO PHILADELPHIA AND NYC Waymo is heading to Philly. Yahoo! Finance reported: Waymo kicked off two “road trips” to Philadelphia and New York City on Monday, signaling the Alphabet-owned company's interest in expanding into Northeastern cities. For its Philadelphia trip, Waymo plans to place vehicles in the most complex parts of the city, including downtown and on freeways, according to a spokesperson. She noted folks will see Waymo vehicles driving “at all hours throughout various Philadelphia neighborhoods, from North Central to Eastwick, University City, and as far east as the Delaware River.” In NYC, Waymo will drive its cars manually in Manhattan just north of Central Park down to The Battery and parts of Downtown Brooklyn. The company will also map parts of Jersey City and Hoboken in New Jersey. WAYMO TEEN ACCOUNTS Waymo offers teen accounts. Bloomberg reported: Teens from 14 to 17 can have a user profile paired to a parent's account starting on Tuesday, the company said in a statement. The program will initially be available where Waymo's vehicles operate in the Metro Phoenix area. The company intends to expand teen service to other cities. Waymo said it will have specially trained support agents available to assist teens during rides and will loop in parents during trips if needed. Parents can also track the real-time status of a trip if the teen rider opted to share it. That's a different approach compared to Uber Technologies Inc., which allows parents to be automatically notified when teens hail a ride and check trip progress at any time. Waymo has long touted peer-reviewed research that suggests its driverless technology is better than humans at avoiding car crashes. But isolated accidents have occurred in the past — including the death of a dog — where Waymo has had to review its technology or recall its vehicles. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

New pricing punishes drivers, Tesla's bumpy start and Travis returns. LegalRideshare breaks it down. STUDY: NEW PRICING HURTS DRIVERS Uber's new dynamic pricing is hurting drivers. The Guardian reported: Research by academics at New York's Columbia Business School concluded that the Silicon Valley company had implemented “algorithmic price discrimination” that had raised “rider fares and cut driver pay on billions of … trips, systematically, selectively, and opaquely”. The Columbia paper, which focused on 24,532 trips made by a single US Uber driver, concluded that the introduction of the new algorithm had allowed Uber to “significantly increase its take rate — the per cent of rider fares net of driver pay captured by the company — from about 32% at the start of upfront pricing to upwards of 42% by the end of 2024”. Last week's University of Oxford research found that, since the launch of dynamic pricing, Uber's median take rate per UK driver had “increased from 25% to 29%, and on some trips … is over 50%”. TELSA'S MISHAPS Telsa's robotaxis are off to a bumpy start. The Verge reported: Some are relatively minor, like failing to recognize a reversing UPS truck while trying to pull into a parking space or driving over a curb. Others are more worrisome, like briefly driving on the wrong side of the road or dropping passengers off in the middle of a busy intersection. Several incidents involve “phantom braking,” in which the vehicle stops suddenly for seemingly no reason. Tesla's camera-only perception system has long had problems with phantom braking, appearing to misinterpret shadows, road marking, or other environmental factors, which triggers the vehicle's automatic emergency braking. The Reddit list includes three incidents of phantom braking. But the above list suggests that not everyone's experience was so seamless. Also, the only way we know about any of these incidents is because robotaxi customers are documenting their rides and posting them on social media. Texas doesn't require any incident reporting or data sharing from Tesla — though the state did recently approve a new permitting system that could prove to be more difficult for the company to navigate. One provision allows state regulators to revoke permits if a company's autonomous vehicles are deemed a safety risk. Keep in mind, these are the incidents that cropped up among a small fleet of 10–20 vehicles in just three days of semi-public availability. Musk has said he wants thousands of vehicles on the road within months, and perhaps “a million” by the end of next year. Imagine what the list looks like at that point. UBER IN TALKS WITH TRAVIS KALANICK Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters Travis returns to Uber…sorta. NY Times reported: Uber is in talks with Travis Kalanick, the ride-hailing company's co-founder who was ousted in a boardroom coup eight years ago this month, to help fund his acquisition of the U.S. subsidiary of a Chinese autonomous vehicle company, two people with knowledge of the matter said. The company, Pony.ai, was founded in Silicon Valley in 2016 but has its main presence in China, and has permits to operate robot taxis and trucks in the United States and China. The talks are preliminary, said the people, who were not authorized to speak about the confidential conversations. Mr. Kalanick will run Pony if the deal is completed, they said. It is unclear what role, if any, Uber would take in Pony as an investor. If the deal goes through, Mr. Kalanick, 48, will remain in his day job running CloudKitchens, a virtual restaurant start-up that he founded after leaving Uber in 2017. He would also work more closely with Dara Khosrowshahi, who took over as Uber's chief executive after Mr. Kalanick's ouster.

Uber makes a bus, a new ordinance in Chicago and Waymos costs more. LegalRideshare breaks it down. UBER SHUTTLE…IS A BUS Uber invented a bus. Gizmodo reported: The ride-hailing company recently announced Route Share, in which shuttles will travel dozens of fixed routes, with fixed stops, picking up passengers and dropping them off at fixed times. Amid the inevitable jokes about Silicon Valley once again discovering buses are serious questions about what this will mean for struggling transit systems, air quality, and congestion. But Kevin Shen, who studies this sort of thing at the Union of Concerned Scientists, questions whether Uber's “next-gen bus” will do much for commuters or the climate. “Everybody will say, ‘Silicon Valley's reinventing the bus again,'” Shen said. “But it's more like they're reinventing a worse bus.” Meanwhile, the federal government is cutting support for public services, including transit systems — many of which still haven't fully recovered from COVID-era budget crunches. Though ridership nationwide is up to 85 percent of pre-pandemic levels, Bloomberg News recently estimated that transit systems across the country face a $6 billion budget shortfall. So it's easy to see why companies like Uber see a business opportunity in public transit. New Chicago Ordinance A new Chicago ordinance is up for debate. Chicago Tribune reported: Rodriguez's ordinance would raise driver pay during rides to $1.50 per mile and 62.5 cents per minute in July 2026. It would also establish a $7 minimum driver payout for each trip. The City Council's Workforce Development Committee, chaired by Rodriguez, is set to discuss and vote on the measure Thursday. If it passes, it could face a final vote from all aldermen next week. In addition to pay raises, Rodriguez's ordinance would require fare breakdowns be shared with both riders and drivers. It would also add driver safety measures — like requiring passenger identities to be verified — and would reconfigure the driver disciplinary process by giving drivers a seven-day notice ahead of suspensions and details explaining why they have been deactivated. Both Uber and Lyft blasted the potential forced pay hike Monday. Lyft spokesperson CJ Macklin likened the ordinance to laws in New York City that have “forced thousands of drivers out of the app for hours at a time.” WAYMOS ARE EXPENSIVE Waymos cost more than Uber or Lyft and riders are fine with it. TechCrunch reported: Obi, an app that aggregates real-time pricing and pick-up times across multiple ride-hailing services, has just published what it's calling the “first in-depth examination of Waymo's pricing strategy.” The company found Waymo's self-driving car rides to be consistently more expensive than comparative offerings from Uber and Lyft — and it doesn't seem to matter. The report, shared exclusively with TechCrunch, is based on a month's worth of data collected between March 25 and April 25 in San Francisco, California. Obi pulled nearly 90,000 “offer records” from Waymo, Lyft's “standard” offering, and UberX in order to compare price and ETA. It then compared ride requests from the same times and routes. Obi found Lyft offered the lowest average price at $14.44. Uber was next at $15.58. Waymo's average price across the month's worth of data was $20.43. The company found that 70% of users who had taken a Waymo ride said they preferred a driverless car to a traditional rideshare or taxi. Despite that enthusiasm, Obi found that safety is still a big concern for riders. Of those surveyed, 74% said safety is their biggest concern about robotaxis. Nearly 70% of respondents said they think there should be some form of remote human monitoring of the rides (something that is already a common practice). LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, gig workers, delivery and e-scooter accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

Lyft gets cheaper, Tesla goes rental and Chicago cracks down. LegalRideshare breaks it down. LYFT SHARED RIDES Lyft is bringing back shared rides. Bloomberg reported: Lyft Inc. is bringing back cheaper shared trips at airports, reversing a decision made two years ago to discontinue the ride option as it seeks to compete with rival Uber Technologies Inc. in courting inflation-weary consumers. Lyft is currently piloting shared rides at eight US airports, including Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco, with those trips receiving as much as a 20% discount compared with a regular Lyft, said company spokesperson Jill Gonzalez, confirming an inquiry from Bloomberg News. Two passengers at those airports going in a similar direction can be picked up in the same car, according to a screenshot posted by a driver on the social media site X. Lyft and Uber have been introducing affordability-focused product updates to respond to worsening consumer sentiment, which has soured on concerns about the broader economy. A Gridwise report in February showed that a majority of customers would curb or cut out ride-hails if Uber and Lyft prices in the US increased further beyond a 7.2% jump in 2024. RENT-A-TESLA Elon Musk says there's no need to buy Uber. Business Insider reported: Musk told CNBC that he envisions a world where, instead of calling an Uber, you can call an autonomous Tesla to get you to your destination without a dedicated driver. Musk's proposed business model would allow Tesla drivers to rent out their cars for autonomous ride-hailing, “just like” one can rent out a spare bedroom through Airbnb. Representatives for Tesla and Uber did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. Tesla has not yet unveiled the commercial version of its Full Self-Driving software, called FSD Unsupervised. This software will be used in its robotaxi fleet and does not require a driver behind the wheel like its personal vehicles. When asked by Faber whether Tesla needed to make any improvements or changes to its technology or fleet in order to prepare to launch a large-scale robotaxi service, Musk demurred. “I don't think we're missing anything,” Musk said. “Tesla has all the ingredients necessary to offer a vast self-driving fleet.” CHICAGO COMBATS OVERCHARGING Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago After the ongoing issue with Uber's congestion fees, the city and organizations are fighting back. Block Club Chicago reported: Backlash to Uber overcharging customers a city congestion fee has revived local and state efforts to regulate the rideshare industry. A state bill requiring companies to provide an itemized list of fees before a purchase — or include it in the total advertised price — sailed through the Senate and a key House of Representatives committee Tuesday. And on Wednesday, a City Council member pledged to hold a hearing into Uber's overcharging of the city's Downtown congestion fee — while rideshare drivers rallied for more workplace protections. The state bill stalled previously as lawsuits with food delivery apps were settled over hidden fees. But Block Club's reporting on Uber wrongfully charging the city's $1.50 per ride Downtown “congestion” surcharge outside of permitted hours has convinced more lawmakers to support the bill this time around, said Rep. Bob Morgan, its chief sponsor in the House. It is now heading to a full floor vote in the House. Uber admitted in April it had errantly applied the congestion surcharge on rides to and from Downtown taken outside the city-permitted surcharge hours of 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Uber began refunding customers earlier this month, but the company still won't say how much is owed to Chicagoans in total. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, gig workers, delivery and e-scooter accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

Waymo recalls cars, GigU comes to America and Tesla falls behind. LegalRideshare breaks it down. WAYMO RECALLS 1200 VEHICLES Waymo recalls more than 1200 vehicles after minor collisions. Reuters reported: Waymo is recalling more than 1,200 self-driving vehicles to update software and address risks of collisions with chains, gates and other roadway barriers after U.S. auto safety investigators opened a probe last year. The recall affects 1,212 Waymo vehicles operating on the company's fifth-generation automated driving system software, the company said. Waymo said it was aware of 16 collisions with chains, gates and other barriers between 2022 and late 2024. But the incidents did not result in any injuries, according to a report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA opened an investigation into the performance of Waymo self-driving vehicles in May 2024 after reports of its robotaxis exhibiting driving behavior that potentially violated traffic safety laws. The agency said several incidents under investigation “involved collisions with clearly visible objects that a competent driver would be expected to avoid.” The investigation remains open. GIGU COMES TO AMERICA GigU, an app to help drivers make more money comes to America. Business Insider reported: An app launching in the US on Wednesday has drawn ire from Uber in the past after helping gig workers answer a key question: Which rides and deliveries make the most financial sense to take? GigU uses information that independent contractors see on-screen when they are offered a gig to calculate an estimate of how much the worker will earn per mile and at an hourly rate. The feature, which GigU calls the “cherry picker,” is designed to help drivers and delivery workers accept or reject a job within the seconds-long window that most apps give them, its founders say. The app works with only Android phones for now. In GigU, users can set specific ranges for pay and, for ride-hailing gigs, passenger ratings. Based on those settings, GigU assigns a color to orders or rides as they pop up on screen: Green for a job that would be the most lucrative for the driver, yellow for options with earnings that mostly fall between the ranges that users set, and red for a job that doesn't meet their goals. An Uber spokesperson said that “using automation tools, apps, or bots to manipulate the Uber app or access Uber data in any way isn't allowed” per its community guidelines and terms of service. Uber is still “engaged on the legal front in Brazil” with GigU and StopClub, the spokesperson added. GigU's founders say that their app merely takes information that the gig worker already sees and presents it in a more analytical context. From there, it's up to the gig worker to make a choice, they said. TESLA'S ROBOTAXI SERVICE FALLS BEHIND Tesla's robotaxi service is falling behind. Futurism reported: As The Information reports, the company is already woefully behind schedule and hasn't even started testing its autonomous vehicles without a safety driver as of April. And the company is quickly running out of time. Musk promised that Tesla would launch an autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin in a matter of weeks — a characteristically overly ambitious promise. The Texas Department of Public Safety hasn't even received a plan for what would happen in case of an emergency from Tesla. As The Information points out, it took Waymo a decade to complete detailed maps of each city to allow its fleet of fully autonomous vehicles to roam the streets safely. It took months of having a human safety driver behind the wheel before its operation could go fully driverless. Tesla has chosen a completely different approach, relying on its loyal customers to accumulate driving data. A Tesla engineer told The Information that the carmaker is struggling with “mundane operational problems,” like getting cars unstuck and providing customer service. Experts have also raised safety concerns about Tesla's decision to exclusively rely on cameras, unlike its competitors, like Waymo, which rely on more precise sensors, like radar and LIDAR. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, gig workers, delivery and e-scooter accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

Chicago investigates Uber, bots versus humans and Tesla hits a roadblock. LegalRideshare breaks it down CHICAGO INVESTIGATES UBER Chicago is investigating Uber. Block Club Chicago reported: The city has opened an investigation into Uber after Block Club Chicago reported the company overcharged riders the city's congestion surcharge for months. The city's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection received a complaint for “ride-hail overcharges” in early April and have now opened an investigation, a department spokesperson said. The spokesperson did not provide further details. An Uber spokesperson said the “internal error” started in January after the city expanded the congestion surcharge to include weekends as a budget-balancing measure. Uber has paid the city the total sum of the surcharges, the spokesperson said. But Uber has yet to answer Block Club's follow-up questions about how the refunds will be sent or how much, in total, was wrongly taken from customers. Downtown Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) said he's heard from constituents who were overcharged for Uber rides, which they realized after checking receipts following Block Club's report Wednesday. “This didn't just happen. How it continued unabated for a length of time is the point of this investigation,” Hopkins said. “The level of oversight rideshare companies operate under, it's just a shadow of what still exists for the taxi industry. That is a tragic government failure, and this is one symptom of that problem.” ROBOTAXIS ARE 99% BUSIER THAN DRIVERS Robotaxis are outpacing human drivers. Business Insider reported: Uber passengers in Austin seemingly can't get enough of Waymo's robotaxis, with the 100 or so Waymo vehicles operating on the Uber app already busier than the human drivers they share the road with. “These approximately 100 vehicles are now busier than over 99% of all drivers in Austin in terms of completed trips per day,” CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in prepared remarks after Uber announced its first-quarter earnings on Wednesday. Khosrowshahi said the two companies plan to scale their autonomous fleet in Austin to “hundreds” of Waymos in the coming months, ahead of the launch of Waymo's robotaxis on the Uber app in Atlanta later this year. Thanks to its hands-off regulations, Austin has become a hotspot for autonomous vehicles. In March, Uber began offering Waymo vehicles exclusively on its app for the first time in the city. TESLA'S TRADEMARKS GET STOPPED Tesla's trademarks hit a road block. TechCrunch reported: Tesla's attempt to trademark the term “Robotaxi” in reference to its vehicles has been refused by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for being too generic, according to a new filing. Another application by Tesla to trademark the term “Robotaxi” for its upcoming ride-hailing service is still under examination by the office. In addition, applications from Tesla for the trademark on the term “Cybercab” have been halted due to other companies pursuing similar “Cyber” trademarks. That includes one company that has applied for numerous trademarks related to aftermarket Cybertruck accessories. Tesla will be allowed to submit evidence and arguments to support its argument in favor of the trademark. If it does, the USPTO wants Tesla to provide “[f]act sheets, instruction manuals, brochures, advertisements and pertinent screenshots of applicant's website as it relates to the goods and/or services in the application, including any materials using the terms in the applied-for mark.” In other words, Tesla needs to give the agency specific plans for how and why it deserves the “Robotaxi” trademark. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, gig workers, delivery and e-scooter accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

Lyft gets taxis, a recession makes Uber cheaper and riders get overcharged. LegalRideshare breaks it down. LYFT GETS TAXIS Lyft will start dispatching taxis. Bloomberg reported: Lyft Inc. will begin dispatching standard taxis to some US riders starting next month in a first as it expands its features to compete with much-larger rival Uber Technologies Inc. The rollout will begin in St. Louis on May 5 for riders who have opted in to taxis as an alternative to gig drivers in rideshare vehicles. Such users may be picked up in a cab when they request Lyft Standard, “Wait & Save” or priority pickup rides, the company confirmed to Bloomberg News. The upcoming feature was discovered within code found inside of Lyft's mobile app. The code indicates opted-in users will be matched with a licensed taxi when the pickup is faster. Like with a regular rideshare trip, users will be able to pay, tip and submit a rating within the Lyft app. RECESSION MAKES UBER CHEAPER A recession could make your ride cheaper. Business Insider reported: If the economy enters a recession, more people could sign up to drive and deliver for Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi said on Friday. “If there is more unemployment, the cost of Uber will come down, because, to some extent, the cost of labor comes down,” Khosrowshahi said at the Semafor World Economy Summit in Washington, D.C. Khosrowshahi said that Uber tends to be “recession-resistant” since many people still want groceries, restaurant delivery, rides around town, and other “everyday use cases” — even if they cut back spending in other areas. “You may put off going on vacation in Europe this summer, but you're still going to treat your family to a nice dinner,” he said. “We specialize in small treats, not big treats." UBER OVERCHARGED RIDERS Uber overcharged riders. Block Club Chicago reported: New rules went into affect Jan. 6 that allowed rideshare companies to charge a $1.50 congestion surcharge for all rides to and from Downtown 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, with the revenue benefitting the city. But customers since then have noticed they've been charged the fee outside those hours. After Block Club Chicago reached out to Uber about the discrepancy, the company is now promising refunds. Marty Regan was one of the customers overcharged. When he checked his Uber receipt after a recent late-night ride home in the West Loop, he caught the $1.50 congestion surcharge tagged on his fare even though it was after hours. “You can't look at all the taxes and fees when you book a ride,” Regan said. “It's a money grab at worst.” Uber is now “actively identifying all affected customers and will issue refunds accordingly,” spokesperson Josh Gold said. The surcharge fees, including the overcharges, were collected by Uber and paid to the city in accordance with rideshare regulations, Gold said. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, gig workers, delivery and e-scooter accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

Uber sued by the FTC, Uber threatens to leave and VW goes AV. LegalRideshare breaks it down. UBER SUED BY FTC Uber is being sued by the FTC. Bloomberg reported: Uber Technologies Inc. was sued by the US Federal Trade Commission, which claims the rideshare and delivery company hurt consumers through “deceptive billing and cancellation practices” as part of its flagship subscription service. In a complaint filed Monday, the FTC alleges the company charged consumers for its Uber One product without their consent, misled users about the program's savings and made it “unreasonably” burdensome to cancel the service. The agency found users can be required to navigate as many as 23 screens and take up to 32 actions to cancel, according to an FTC statement. The company denied the FTC's claims, saying the company doesn't sign up or charge consumers without their consent, and that cancellations now take most people 20 seconds or less. “We are disappointed that the FTC chose to move forward with this action, but are confident that the courts will agree with what we already know: Uber One's sign-up and cancellation processes are clear, simple, and follow the letter and spirit of the law,” a spokesman said. UBER THREATENS TO LEAVE COLORADO Uber is threatening to leave Colorado. Axios reported: A bill moving through Colorado's legislature could force major changes to how rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft operate — and Uber says if it passes, it may have to shut down service in the state. House Bill 1291 would require stricter safety measures for rideshare drivers, including mandatory dash cameras, audio recordings of rides, and a ban on driving after using marijuana. The proposal also includes increased driver accountability standards. Uber officials say they support improved safety but argue that the bill, as written, is impossible to enforce. Blinick also raised concerns about legal liability, saying the bill could make the company responsible for even minor driver actions, such as offering a passenger a water bottle. Legal experts say Uber's concerns center on potential lawsuits. Riders themselves are split on the proposal — some say additional safety measures would provide peace of mind, while others worry about losing convenient transportation options. UBER & VOLKSWAGEN PARTNER TO DEPLOY AVS Credit: Volkswagen Uber and Volkswagen are partnering up to deploy AVs. Bloomberg reported: Uber Technologies Inc. and Volkswagen AG have partnered to deploy thousands of electric ID Buzz vans in the US, marking the latest partnership to expand autonomous options on the ride hailing app. The companies will begin testing the vans on roads later this year and plan a commercial launch next year in Los Angeles, they said in a statement on Thursday. During initial testing, a human operator will be inside of the vehicles. The launch will take place in stages and only proceed following necessary regulatory approvals. The partnership is planned to expand to other major US markets over the next decade. Volkswagen has been testing its ID Buzz vans with human operators in Austin. Those vehicles are outfitted with autonomous driving software made by Intel Corp. spinoff Mobileye Global Inc. For deployment of the vehicles on the Uber platform, Volkswagen is using a system developed by its MOIA brand. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, gig workers, delivery and e-scooter accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

US students detained, a losing bet and black-market accounts. LegalRideshare breaks it down. US STUDENTS DETAINED IN DENMARK Two US students are being held in Denmark. CNN reported: Two US college students were arrested and detained for two weeks in Denmark after an alleged altercation with an Uber driver, local police said Tuesday. The alleged incident took place around 2 a.m. on March 31 (8 p.m. ET on March 30) after Owen Ray and a friend were returning from a night out in the Danish capital at the end of a spring break in Europe. Ray and his friend, who has not been named, had ordered an Uber to return to their hotel but realized they had selected the wrong destination, according to family spokesperson Erin Pelton. Unable to update the location in the Uber app, they canceled the ride. The canceled fare was automatically paid via the app, said Pelton. The driver, however, did not believe he had been paid and allegedly began threatening the students. Speaking to ABC's “Good Morning America,” Ray said that the driver got out of the car and started yelling that he hadn't been paid, threatening to “call 10 guys.” Ray added, “We did nothing wrong — we were the victims of an attack.” The incident was captured on the Uber driver's dash cam, which is now part of the court case in Denmark, Pelton told CNN. Copenhagen police told CNN that the students were brought before a court on the same day, facing charges of common assault. Uber told CNN that the driver reported that the two students started fighting in the back of the car and later assaulted him after the trip had ended. The driver subsequently called the authorities. A company spokesperson said in a statement, “The safety of everyone who uses the Uber app is a top priority, and we take reports of violence very seriously.” CYBERCAB: TESLA'S LOSING BET Tesla's cybercab looks like a losing bet. Electrek reported: According to a credible new report, Elon Musk has reportedly shut down an internal analysis from Tesla executives that showed the company's Robotaxi plans would lose money and that it should focus on its more affordable ‘Model 2'. The executives pointed to an internal report that didn't paint a good picture of Tesla's Robotaxi plan. The report has credibility as Patel commented on it. Musk dismissed the analysis, greenlighted the Cybercab, and killed the $25,000 driveable Tesla vehicle in favor of the Model Y-based cheaper vehicle with fewer features. After accounting for competition, Tesla figured it would be hard for robotaxis to replace the ~600,000 vehicles it sells in the US annually. Furthermore, Tesla's internal analysis pointed toward difficulties expanding into other markets, which could limit the scale and profitability of the robotaxi program. Ultimately, it predicted that it could lose money for years. BLACK-MARKET UBER ACCOUNTS Drivers are buying black market accounts on Facebook. Fortune reported: A new report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) is raising new safety concerns about Facebook, accusing the social-media company of hosting several “black market” pages where people can buy or rent driver accounts for a number of consumer-facing companies. As many as 800,000 Facebook users belong to 80 groups the TTP identified that let users trade driver accounts for Uber, DoorDash, and other ride-share and delivery companies. That lets people acquire the accounts without going through the screening process drivers are normally subjected to. And it raises both safety concerns for customers and fears of possible identity theft for riders or people who place orders. “Renting” an Uber Eats account, according to a Jan. 3, 2025 post, went for as little as $65. Most people listing accounts asked prospective renters or buyers to contact them directly, to keep the dealings out of public view. TTP said the existence of these groups indicated content moderation on Facebook was not being properly enforced, as many of the accounts had obvious names such as “Doordash & Uber Account For Rent And Sell Group.” (Facebook denied the issue had anything to do with the enforcement changes it announced in January.) LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, gig workers, delivery and e-scooter accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.