Uber Will Start Tracking Your Driver’s Driving Practices — And What That Means for You
Every time you hail a cab on a car service app and get into the backseat, you are, inevitably, putting your life in the hands of a stranger. You’d probably like your driver to be well rested, conscious of street signs and not breaking any laws. Recently, Uber, the king of ride-sharing apps, has made some questionable changes (like hiding surge pricing), but they’re also making moves to make you safer too. “How’s my driving?” — the question posed by bumper stickers across the country is making its way into the app, and now drivers could be given a very precise answer to that question.
Uber just announced that it is updating its driver app to allow the company to better monitor drivers’ behavior behind the wheel. The app will now be able to tell when a driver is speeding, slams on the breaks, cutting corners, suddenly accelerating and even if they’re holding their phone while they’re driving. But that’s not all. The update will also include daily reports to the drivers that detail their driving patterns to help them improve. For now, this information will not be used either as punishment or reward, it will simply keep an eye on driving habits.
As Uber continues to test out the new features, riders may receive emails or notifications asking if their driver was holding their phone while on the road. Drivers will also receive automatic notifications from the app if they’re speeding more than 15mph above the posted speed limits. Other features include reminders to take breaks and notifications about Uber’s safety practices. The new features are only being tested in 11 US cities, but if the tests are successful, they could roll out worldwide sometime in the near future.
Safety is always the best choice!
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(h/t Tech Insider)