Using smartphone sensors to peek over its
drivers’ shoulders, Uber is promising to keep a
closer eye on their behavior - while discouraging
speeding or slamming on the brakes. The global ride-hailing company on Wednesday
announced an extensive test of new software
that aims to increase safety by analyzing data
from individual drivers and sending them daily
reports about things like sudden acceleration,
braking and whether they’re holding their
phones when they drive. Trucking companies and eet operators collect
similar information, while some auto insurers
o er a discount to motorists who install a data-
collection device in their cars. Uber, which is
requiring drivers in several cities to participate,
is eager to show that it’s making safety a priority
at a time when some jurisdictions are mulling
whether to impose stricter oversight on ride-
hailing businesses. At the same time, Uber is also trying to ease
some strains in its relationship with drivers, who
work as independent contractors and in some
cases have sued Uber over pay and working
conditions. Earlier this month, Uber modified its app to give drivers more discretion to reject
rides at certain times and to charge passengers
who keep them waiting. For now, Uber says it isn’t using the new safety
program to penalize drivers - or even to reward
good driving habits - although the software
measures some of the same behaviors that the
company says are often cited by passengers
when they give drivers a low rating. Repeated
low ratings can lead to drivers being suspended
from the service. One part of the new program uses data from
the same gyroscope and motion sensors that let
smartphone users play games on their devices.
Uber drivers already use a smartphone app to
book rides and track their progress via GPS. By
adding additional software to the app, Uber says
it can measure a car’s movement and gauge
how fast the driver accelerates or brakes. The software sends a daily summary to each
driver, including a count of how often the driver
has sped up or hit the brakes too abruptly. But it’s an automated process: Uber says the
software’s not intended to trigger human
intervention in the case of a driver who’s
dangerously erratic. Instead, the company
says passengers should use the “help” button
on its app. San Francisco-based Uber will also use sensors
to measure “phone movement,” which may
indicate the driver is clutching the phone while
steering.
Since that can be a distraction, Uber
says it will notify drivers if it detects excessive
phone movement through the day, with a
reminder that it’s safer to leave the phone in a
mounting device. As it tests this program, Uber
may also send passengers an email or text,
asking if their driver was holding the phone. A third feature will send drivers a notice
immediately if they’re traveling at excessive
speed, although for now, the notice will only
be triggered if a car is moving more than 15 miles per hour above the posted limit on
highways. A fourth program will send generic
reminders to drivers about the benefits of
taking a rest break. Uber says it’s testing the new features in a
handful of large cities. About half of its drivers
in each test city will get the new software, so
the company can compare their behavior with
the half that don’t receive the notifications.
After two months, the company says it will
evaluate the results and decide whether to
expand the programs.
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