This Week in Rideshare: Self-driving, masked selfies, and car rentals.
Self-driving makes a return, masks are a must, and Uber goes rental. LegalRideshare breaks it down.
MONDAY 8/31/20
In an effort to please the public, Uber vows to be more transparent on self-driving data. Insurance Journal reported:
The company made the pledge in an update to its voluntary safety assessment, filed Friday with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It marked the first major attempt by Uber to allay criticism of its autonomous driving program since the NTSB board reached its conclusions regarding a Tempe, Arizona, crash in 2018 believed to be the first fatal pedestrian accident involving a self-driving vehicle.
TUESDAY 9/1/20
Uber passengers looking to jump in their ride without a mask will be in for a rude awakening. CNN reported:
The company said Tuesday that passengers who have previously been reported by a driver for not wearing a mask will be required to take a selfie for mask verification purposes when requesting their next ride.
The passenger mask verification feature is slated to roll out in the US and Canada by the end of the month, and will expand to Latin America and other countries thereafter, the company said in a blog post Tuesday.
WEDNESDAY 9/2/20
As Uber and Lyft struggle to change their status, competitors are waiting in the wings. CNN reported:
On the flip side, Dallas-based rideshare startup Alto is gearing up to enter California by late October, beginning with Los Angeles. The startup, which launched in January 2019, classifies its drivers as employees, which Uber and Lyft have long fought against because they would need to offer them certain benefits.
THURSDAY 9/3/20
Instacart adds a new favorite to the platform: 711. PYMNTS explains:
Instacart announced its first deal with a convenience store chain, adding 7-Eleven to its online ordering platform, with plans to initially start making deliveries from 750 stores across the country in a first phase covering Virginia; Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Florida; and Texas.
Instacart plans to follow this up with a nationwide rollout over the next few months that will eventually include more than 7,000 7-Eleven stores across the country.
FRIDAY 9/4/20
Uber upped its game by adding car rentals to the app. The Verge explains:
Uber announce today that it will soon allow users in the UK to rent cars via its app in a partnership with car rental company CarTrawler. Users will be able to select the new “Uber Rent” option from within the app and then browse available cars for their chosen date and location.
LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, gig workers, bikeshare and e-scooter accidents and injuries.
