An LGBTI job fair, billed by organisers as the first such event in India, attracted more than 250 people on Friday looking for employment with companies including Intel, Goldman Sachs and Uber. The event on Friday (July 12) in the southern city of Bengaluru comes after India's Supreme Court overruled a law banning homosexuality in 2018, which the organizers said now enables companies to freely hire people who have been marginalized for years. Many Indians who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI) still face stigma and violence.

First LGBTI job fair held in India after gay ban lifted

Former Miss India and actor Ushoshi Sengupta was allegedly chased and harassed by a group of men late at night on Monday in Kolkata.&nbsp; 
 
Seven persons have been arrested in connection with the incident that took place around 11.40 pm on Monday, the Kolkata police have said. The arrests were made on the basis of video grabs provided by Sengupta and CCTV footages. 
 
In a long post on Facebook, Sengupta revealed how she was returning home along with a colleague in an app-based cab when a few bike- borne youths hit her cab, dragged the driver out and roughed him up. 
 
"A few boys on a bike without any helmet hit our cab at Exide intersection and Jawaharlal Road crossing... Around 15 boys appeared from nowhere and dragged the driver out, started beating him up. This is when I stepped out and started shouting, calling the police and simultaneously started taking video of the entire incident," she said. 
 
She claimed that officers of the nearest Maidan Police Station initially did not come for help despite her repeated requests. 
 
"However, some officers of Maidan Police Station reached the spot only to be pushed by the boys before fleeing," Sengupta said. 
 
She said that around six boys on three bikes followed the cab near the Lake Gardens area in south Kolkata, where she dropped her colleague home. 
"They stopped my car, threw stones and dragged me out and tried to break my phone to delete the video. My colleague jumped out out of fear and I started shouting to attract some locals' attention there. 
 
"I managed to telephone my dad and my sister at my residence in the next lane when they escaped," Sengupta said.

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The actor also alleged that officers at the nearby Charu Market Police Station refused to take any complaint and advised her to, instead, approach the Bhawanipore Police Station. 
 
"After raising a lot of questions, the officer took my complaint but refused to take the complaint of the driver," she said in the Facebook post, recounting the incident. 
 
The Kolkata Police on Tuesday said it has arrested the seven persons and also initiated an inquiry into the alleged non-registration of FIR. 
 
"We have taken this incident very seriously and seven persons have been arrested so far. On the order of the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, an inquiry regarding the non-registration of FIR has been initiated into this incident, at a very senior level," the Kolkata Police wrote on its Twitter handle.

When contacted, a senior police officer said, "Those arrested seem to be locals who have been violating traffic rules for quite some time. We are hopeful of nabbing the others from the CCTV footages of the surrounding areas."&nbsp;

Former Miss India and actor Ushoshi Sengupta was allegedly chased and harassed by a group of men late at night on Monday in Kolkata. Seven persons have been arrested in connection with the incident that took place around 11.

Former Miss India and actor Ushoshi Sengupta was allegedly chased and harassed by a group of men late at night on Monday in Kolkata. Seven persons have been arrested in connection with the incident that took place around 11.40 pm on Monday, the Kolkata police have said. The arrests were made on the basis of video grabs provided by Sengupta and CCTV footages. In a long post on Facebook, Sengupta revealed how she was returning home along with a colleague in an app-based cab when a few bike- borne youths hit her cab, dragged the driver out and roughed him up. "A few boys on a bike without any helmet hit our cab at Exide intersection and Jawaharlal Road crossing... Around 15 boys appeared from nowhere and dragged the driver out, started beating him up. This is when I stepped out and started shouting, calling the police and simultaneously started taking video of the entire incident," she said. She claimed that officers of the nearest Maidan Police Station initially did not come for help despite her repeated requests. "However, some officers of Maidan Police Station reached the spot only to be pushed by the boys before fleeing," Sengupta said. She said that around six boys on three bikes followed the cab near the Lake Gardens area in south Kolkata, where she dropped her colleague home. "They stopped my car, threw stones and dragged me out and tried to break my phone to delete the video. My colleague jumped out out of fear and I started shouting to attract some locals' attention there. "I managed to telephone my dad and my sister at my residence in the next lane when they escaped," Sengupta said. The actor also alleged that officers at the nearby Charu Market Police Station refused to take any complaint and advised her to, instead, approach the Bhawanipore Police Station. "After raising a lot of questions, the officer took my complaint but refused to take the complaint of the driver," she said in the Facebook post, recounting the incident. The Kolkata Police on Tuesday said it has arrested the seven persons and also initiated an inquiry into the alleged non-registration of FIR. "We have taken this incident very seriously and seven persons have been arrested so far. On the order of the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, an inquiry regarding the non-registration of FIR has been initiated into this incident, at a very senior level," the Kolkata Police wrote on its Twitter handle. When contacted, a senior police officer said, "Those arrested seem to be locals who have been violating traffic rules for quite some time. We are hopeful of nabbing the others from the CCTV footages of the surrounding areas."

Former Miss India Ushoshi Sengupta harassed by bike-borne youth in Kolkata, 7 arrested

Estonia's Bolt, which until early 2019 was called Taxify, will on Tuesday re-enter the competitive London taxi market, promising cheaper rides to passengers and a better cut to drivers than its bigger global rival <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/uber-hit-with-australia-class-action-ahead-of-stock-listing-215549">Uber Technologies Inc</a>.

The move comes a month after Uber drivers in London joined a series of strikes to protest the disparity between gig-economy conditions and the massive $82 billion valuation at Uber's stock market debut.

"Uber is basically a monopoly. At the same time, an average Uber driver makes less than minimum wage," Bolt founder Markus Villig said.

Uber takes around 25 per cent from drivers using its app. Bolt promises to charge in London in first two months just 7.5 per cent and later 15 per cent, arguing happier drivers provide a better service.

Bolt, which has grabbed business from Uber in Central and Eastern Europe and major African cities, counts more than 25 million clients in 30 countries where it operates.

Bolt's first attempt to enter the London market was stopped by transport regulators who denied it a licence in 2017.

Bolt rebranded earlier in 2019 to ensure the ride-hailing service is not confused for taxis and to represent its widening offering - it has launched motorcycle services in Africa and scooter rentals in selected cities - but these are still small.

"The numbers, when compared to cars, are still negligible," Villig said.

Bolt last year raised $175 million in funding from a group led by German automaker Daimler to help its battle against Uber.

Estonia's Bolt, which until early 2019 was called Taxify, will on Tuesday re-enter the competitive London taxi market, promising cheaper rides to passengers and a better cut to drivers than its bigger global rival Uber Technologies Inc.

Estonia's Bolt, which until early 2019 was called Taxify, will on Tuesday re-enter the competitive London taxi market, promising cheaper rides to passengers and a better cut to drivers than its bigger global rival Uber Technologies Inc. The move comes a month after Uber drivers in London joined a series of strikes to protest the disparity between gig-economy conditions and the massive $82 billion valuation at Uber's stock market debut. "Uber is basically a monopoly. At the same time, an average Uber driver makes less than minimum wage," Bolt founder Markus Villig said. Uber takes around 25 per cent from drivers using its app. Bolt promises to charge in London in first two months just 7.5 per cent and later 15 per cent, arguing happier drivers provide a better service. Bolt, which has grabbed business from Uber in Central and Eastern Europe and major African cities, counts more than 25 million clients in 30 countries where it operates. Bolt's first attempt to enter the London market was stopped by transport regulators who denied it a licence in 2017. Bolt rebranded earlier in 2019 to ensure the ride-hailing service is not confused for taxis and to represent its widening offering - it has launched motorcycle services in Africa and scooter rentals in selected cities - but these are still small. "The numbers, when compared to cars, are still negligible," Villig said. Bolt last year raised $175 million in funding from a group led by German automaker Daimler to help its battle against Uber.

Bolt, Uber's European rival seeks to enter London market

India plans to order Uber and Ola to convert 40 per cent of their fleet of cars to electric by April 2026, according to a source and records of government meetings to discuss new rules for clean mobility.

Uber and Ola, both backed by Softbank Group, would need to start converting their fleet as early as next year to achieve 2.5 per cent electrification by 2021, 5 per cent by 2022, 10per cent by 2023 before hiking it to 40 per cent, according to the person and the records that have been reviewed by Reuters.

Some taxi players, like Ola, have previously tried to operate electric cars in the country, but with little success given inadequate infrastructure and high costs.

New Delhi, however, is looking to push the new policy to boost the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) as it tries to bring down its oil imports and curb pollution so it can meet its commitment as part of the 2015 Paris climate change treaty.

Niti Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and which plays a crucial role in policymaking, is working with several ministries on the new policy.

China, home to the world's top auto market, is already leading the world in electrification by setting tough EV sales targets for car makers and offering incentives to taxi operators to increase their fleet of clean-fuel cars.

EV sales in India grew three-fold to 3,600 in the year ended March but still account for about 0.1 per cent of the 3.3 million diesel and gasoline cars sold in the country over the period, industry data showed. China's electric car sales, meanwhile, rose 62 per cent in 2018 to 1.3 million vehicles.

In a meeting in New Delhi on May 28, Niti Aayog officials and the ministries of road transport, power, renewable energy and steel, as well as the departments of heavy industries and trade, were among those recommending taxi operators in India gradually convert to electric.

They also recommended that all new cars sold for commercial use should only be electric from April 2026, a change that would also apply to Uber and Ola, said the person who has direct knowledge of the matter but spoke on condition of anonymity.&nbsp;

Motorcycles and scooters sold for commercial purposes, like food delivery or for use by e-commerce companies, will also need to be electric from April 2023, the person added.

India has seen a boom in food delivery apps like Zomato and Swiggy, which counts Naspers and Tencent as investors. Sales by e-commerce firms like Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart are also rising.

Motorbikes too

The EV proposal comes weeks after the inter-ministerial committee recommended electrifying most motorbikes and scooters for private use and all three-wheeled autorickshaws within the next six to eight years.

While there are several electric scooter manufacturers in the country including Ather Energy, Hero Electric and Okinawa, there are only two car makers that build and sell electric cars - Mahindra &amp; Mahindra and Tata Motors.

Some taxi operators have so far had little success operating electric cars in India. Ola launched a pilot project in Nagpur in 2017 but a year later drivers, unhappy with long wait times at charging stations and high operating expenses, wanted to return to gasoline cars.

Ola, however, is not giving up yet.

Its Ola Electric Mobility unit in March that raised 4 billion rupees from investors including venture capital fund Tiger Global and Matrix Partners.

It also raised $300 million from Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors and formed a strategic partnership with the South Korean duo to help build India-specific EVs.

Modi's government in 2017 had set an ambitious target to electrify new cars and utility vehicles by 2030 but resistance from the industry forced it to scale back the plan.

India plans to order Uber and Ola to convert 40 per cent of their fleet of cars to electric by April 2026, according to a source and records of government meetings to discuss new rules for clean mobility.

India plans to order Uber and Ola to convert 40 per cent of their fleet of cars to electric by April 2026, according to a source and records of government meetings to discuss new rules for clean mobility. Uber and Ola, both backed by Softbank Group, would need to start converting their fleet as early as next year to achieve 2.5 per cent electrification by 2021, 5 per cent by 2022, 10per cent by 2023 before hiking it to 40 per cent, according to the person and the records that have been reviewed by Reuters. Some taxi players, like Ola, have previously tried to operate electric cars in the country, but with little success given inadequate infrastructure and high costs. New Delhi, however, is looking to push the new policy to boost the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) as it tries to bring down its oil imports and curb pollution so it can meet its commitment as part of the 2015 Paris climate change treaty. Niti Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and which plays a crucial role in policymaking, is working with several ministries on the new policy. China, home to the world's top auto market, is already leading the world in electrification by setting tough EV sales targets for car makers and offering incentives to taxi operators to increase their fleet of clean-fuel cars. EV sales in India grew three-fold to 3,600 in the year ended March but still account for about 0.1 per cent of the 3.3 million diesel and gasoline cars sold in the country over the period, industry data showed. China's electric car sales, meanwhile, rose 62 per cent in 2018 to 1.3 million vehicles. In a meeting in New Delhi on May 28, Niti Aayog officials and the ministries of road transport, power, renewable energy and steel, as well as the departments of heavy industries and trade, were among those recommending taxi operators in India gradually convert to electric. They also recommended that all new cars sold for commercial use should only be electric from April 2026, a change that would also apply to Uber and Ola, said the person who has direct knowledge of the matter but spoke on condition of anonymity. Motorcycles and scooters sold for commercial purposes, like food delivery or for use by e-commerce companies, will also need to be electric from April 2023, the person added. India has seen a boom in food delivery apps like Zomato and Swiggy, which counts Naspers and Tencent as investors. Sales by e-commerce firms like Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart are also rising. Motorbikes too The EV proposal comes weeks after the inter-ministerial committee recommended electrifying most motorbikes and scooters for private use and all three-wheeled autorickshaws within the next six to eight years. While there are several electric scooter manufacturers in the country including Ather Energy, Hero Electric and Okinawa, there are only two car makers that build and sell electric cars - Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors. Some taxi operators have so far had little success operating electric cars in India. Ola launched a pilot project in Nagpur in 2017 but a year later drivers, unhappy with long wait times at charging stations and high operating expenses, wanted to return to gasoline cars. Ola, however, is not giving up yet. Its Ola Electric Mobility unit in March that raised 4 billion rupees from investors including venture capital fund Tiger Global and Matrix Partners. It also raised $300 million from Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors and formed a strategic partnership with the South Korean duo to help build India-specific EVs. Modi's government in 2017 had set an ambitious target to electrify new cars and utility vehicles by 2030 but resistance from the industry forced it to scale back the plan.

India to order Uber, Ola to go electric by April 2026: Report

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning, May 17th 2019

Uber Technologies Inc's shares fell as much as 10% on Monday, more than doubling their losses since the ride-hailing giant's poorly received Wall Street debut on Friday and raising more questions about investors' faith in its ability to make profits.

The fall in shares come against the backdrop of a global stock market selloff sparked by renewed trade tensions between the United States and China.

The stock hit a low of $37.17, valuing the company at about $12 billion less than the IPO price of $45. Shares of smaller rival Lyft Inc, which went public at $72 a share on March 29, was down 5.3% at $48.35.

Uber lowered its valuation expectations twice in the past two months to address investor concerns over its mounting losses, and finally priced its IPO at the low end of the targeted range in a bid to avoid Lyft's stock market struggles.

"In the last couple of weeks we have noticed investors questioning more about how good of a business model is ride sharing really," said Tom White analyst DA&nbsp;Davidson.

While both companies are trying to find ways to lower driver costs to become profitable, drivers went on a protest in several US&nbsp;cities earlier this month demanding job security, livable incomes and a cap on the amount ride-hailing companies can collect from fares.

Many investors are concerned about rising costs associated with booking fees shared with drivers, said Daniel Morgan, a senior portfolio manager at Synovus Trust.

Morgan said this expense will only rise as the company increases sales and demand for drivers grow.

Investors have struggled to figure out how much Uber and Lyft are worth, given both companies have not estimated a timeline for turning a profit.

Lyft posted a $1.1 billion quarterly loss last week and forecast losses would peak this year as it controlled expenses and got more revenue from each customer.

Uber has warned in a regulatory filing that it may never be profitable.

Investors are questioning whether achieving profitability will require these businesses to either raise prices for consumers or reduce service levels, White said.

Wedbush analyst Ygal Arounian said investors need to be patient as Uber reaches full monetization potential with its ride-sharing platform and a broader growth engine with Uber Eats, Uber Freight and autonomous driving initiatives.

"While it will take time for the stock to settle and Uber must execute flawlessly over the coming 12 to 18 months, we believe a $100 billion+ market cap is warranted," said Arounian, who has an "outperform" rating on the stock.

Uber Technologies Inc's shares fell as much as 10% on Monday, more than doubling their losses since the ride-hailing giant's poorly received Wall Street debut on Friday and raising more questions about investors' faith in its ability to make profits.

Uber Technologies Inc's shares fell as much as 10% on Monday, more than doubling their losses since the ride-hailing giant's poorly received Wall Street debut on Friday and raising more questions about investors' faith in its ability to make profits. The fall in shares come against the backdrop of a global stock market selloff sparked by renewed trade tensions between the United States and China. The stock hit a low of $37.17, valuing the company at about $12 billion less than the IPO price of $45. Shares of smaller rival Lyft Inc, which went public at $72 a share on March 29, was down 5.3% at $48.35. Uber lowered its valuation expectations twice in the past two months to address investor concerns over its mounting losses, and finally priced its IPO at the low end of the targeted range in a bid to avoid Lyft's stock market struggles. "In the last couple of weeks we have noticed investors questioning more about how good of a business model is ride sharing really," said Tom White analyst DA Davidson. While both companies are trying to find ways to lower driver costs to become profitable, drivers went on a protest in several US cities earlier this month demanding job security, livable incomes and a cap on the amount ride-hailing companies can collect from fares. Many investors are concerned about rising costs associated with booking fees shared with drivers, said Daniel Morgan, a senior portfolio manager at Synovus Trust. Morgan said this expense will only rise as the company increases sales and demand for drivers grow. Investors have struggled to figure out how much Uber and Lyft are worth, given both companies have not estimated a timeline for turning a profit. Lyft posted a $1.1 billion quarterly loss last week and forecast losses would peak this year as it controlled expenses and got more revenue from each customer. Uber has warned in a regulatory filing that it may never be profitable. Investors are questioning whether achieving profitability will require these businesses to either raise prices for consumers or reduce service levels, White said. Wedbush analyst Ygal Arounian said investors need to be patient as Uber reaches full monetization potential with its ride-sharing platform and a broader growth engine with Uber Eats, Uber Freight and autonomous driving initiatives. "While it will take time for the stock to settle and Uber must execute flawlessly over the coming 12 to 18 months, we believe a $100 billion+ market cap is warranted," said Arounian, who has an "outperform" rating on the stock.

Uber shares fall for second day after ill-fated IPO

Uber officially goes public on the New York stock exchange. Uber Technologies Inc's shares fell nearly 7%in their debut on Friday. Watch the full video to know more.

Uber falls more than 7% in disappointing Wall Street debut

Uber Technologies Inc priced its initial public offering on Thursday at the low end of its targeted range for a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uber-drivers-go-on-strike-in-london-us-ahead-of-ipo-217164">valuation of $82.4 billion</a>, hoping its conservative approach will spare it the trading plunge suffered by rival Lyft Inc.

It is an underwhelming result for the most anticipated<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/uber-hit-with-australia-class-action-ahead-of-stock-listing-215549"> IPO since Facebook Inc's</a> market debut seven years ago. Uber raised $8.1 billion, pricing its IPO at $45 per share, close to the bottom of the targeted $44-$50 range.

However, the IPO still represents a watershed moment for Uber, which has grown into the world's largest ride-hailing company since its start 10 years ago.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-wallet-uber-lyft-drivers-hold-protest-217210/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The year's biggest IPO comes against a backdrop of turbulent financial markets, fuelled by the trade dispute between the United States and China, as well as the plunging share price of Lyft, which is down 23 per cent from its IPO price in late March.

Uber's valuation in the IPO is almost a third less than its investment bankers predicted last year but still above its most recent valuation of $76 billion in the private fundraising market.

The IPO was oversubscribed, but Uber settled for a lower price to avoid a repeat of Lyft's IPO in late March, which priced strongly then plunged in trade. Uber also wanted to accommodate big mutual funds, which unlike hedge funds put in orders for a lower price.

Like Lyft, Uber will face questions going forward over how and when it expects to become profitable after losing $3 billion from operations in 2018.

"Ultimately, the success of Lyft's and Uber IPO's offerings will be judged based on post-IPO performance and how these companies can sustain their growth, while moving toward profitability and lowering their cash burn," said Alex Castelli, managing partner at advisory firm CohnReznick.

Despite Uber moderating its IPO expectations, some still consider the stock overpriced.

"Uber is basically Lyft 2.0. Good model, growing sales. But, yet again, here comes California math once more. It is still losing a ton of money," said Brian Hamilton, a tech entrepreneur and founder of data firm Sageworks. "If you buy, you are buying a bull market, not a company," he added.

In meetings with potential investors the past two weeks, Uber's chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi argued that Uber's future was not as a ride-hailing company, but as a wide technology platform shaping logistics and transportation.

The IPO pricing was a balancing act for Uber's team of underwriting banks, led by Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs &amp; Co and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, to negotiate a good price while leaving some upside to ensure the stock trades up on its market debut.

Uber is due to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday under the symbol "UBER."

Uber Technologies Inc priced its initial public offering on Thursday at the low end of its targeted range for a valuation of $82.4 billion, hoping its conservative approach will spare it the trading plunge suffered by rival Lyft Inc.

Uber Technologies Inc priced its initial public offering on Thursday at the low end of its targeted range for a valuation of $82.4 billion, hoping its conservative approach will spare it the trading plunge suffered by rival Lyft Inc. It is an underwhelming result for the most anticipated IPO since Facebook Inc's market debut seven years ago. Uber raised $8.1 billion, pricing its IPO at $45 per share, close to the bottom of the targeted $44-$50 range. However, the IPO still represents a watershed moment for Uber, which has grown into the world's largest ride-hailing company since its start 10 years ago. The year's biggest IPO comes against a backdrop of turbulent financial markets, fuelled by the trade dispute between the United States and China, as well as the plunging share price of Lyft, which is down 23 per cent from its IPO price in late March. Uber's valuation in the IPO is almost a third less than its investment bankers predicted last year but still above its most recent valuation of $76 billion in the private fundraising market. The IPO was oversubscribed, but Uber settled for a lower price to avoid a repeat of Lyft's IPO in late March, which priced strongly then plunged in trade. Uber also wanted to accommodate big mutual funds, which unlike hedge funds put in orders for a lower price. Like Lyft, Uber will face questions going forward over how and when it expects to become profitable after losing $3 billion from operations in 2018. "Ultimately, the success of Lyft's and Uber IPO's offerings will be judged based on post-IPO performance and how these companies can sustain their growth, while moving toward profitability and lowering their cash burn," said Alex Castelli, managing partner at advisory firm CohnReznick. Despite Uber moderating its IPO expectations, some still consider the stock overpriced. "Uber is basically Lyft 2.0. Good model, growing sales. But, yet again, here comes California math once more. It is still losing a ton of money," said Brian Hamilton, a tech entrepreneur and founder of data firm Sageworks. "If you buy, you are buying a bull market, not a company," he added. In meetings with potential investors the past two weeks, Uber's chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi argued that Uber's future was not as a ride-hailing company, but as a wide technology platform shaping logistics and transportation. The IPO pricing was a balancing act for Uber's team of underwriting banks, led by Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs & Co and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, to negotiate a good price while leaving some upside to ensure the stock trades up on its market debut. Uber is due to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday under the symbol "UBER."

Uber targets low end IPO valuation at $82 billion

Uber sets IPO base price. Uber 's 2018 loss was around $ 3 billion. Watch this video to know more.

WION Wallet: Uber sets IPO base price

Uber drivers in London and major US cities held a series of strikes on Wednesday to protest the disparity between gig-economy conditions and the sums that investors are likely to make in Friday's blockbuster stock market debut.

Protests were sparsely attended in London, New York and California, and rides appeared easily available in some cities where strikes were called.

Drivers and regulators around the world have long criticized the business tactics of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ride-hailing-drivers-in-new-york-to-strike-ahead-of-uber-ipo-216037">Uber Technologies</a> Inc. The expected valuation of up to $90 billion in its initial public offering on Friday is proving to be the latest flashpoint.

Unions in Britain said support for the strike was strong, with drivers staying at home and passengers using the #UberShutDown hashtag to pledge solidarity on social media. The Uber app indicated fares were higher in London during a rainy morning rush hour due to increased demand.

"Stand with these workers on strike today, across the UK and the world," said Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party.

A few dozen protesters gathered at a rally in London. Another dozen attended a protest at about 9 am EDT (1300 GMT) near Wall Street in Manhattan. At Uber's headquarters in the borough of Queens in New York City, about 100 people gathered in the morning, but their numbers dwindled to a few dozen or so at 1 pm, when a rally was scheduled. Uber has 3 million drivers globally.

Around a hundred people attended a rally in San Francisco, Uber's home town. Driver and organizer Rebecca Stack-Martinez said that widespread media coverage made the strike a success, adding that organizing in the gig economy of part-time, contract labour was difficult.

"There is no directory out there of who's driving, how many drivers, how we can reach them," she said. "And so we have to be really creative about how we get to drivers and get them involved in the movement."

Many drivers work part-time for the services and often divide their time between platforms, delivering food and goods as well as giving rides.

The public calls for higher pay underscored that some drivers want more from Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi, who was hired to help move the company past a series of scandals, improve driver relations and manage the IPO.

Uber is paying more than a million drivers about $300 million in one-time bonuses, for instance, and has changed policies such as allowing riders to tip.

"Whether it's being able to track your earnings or stronger insurance protections, we'll continue working to improve the experience for and with drivers," the company said.

'Broken promises'

Uber has steadfastly, and mostly successfully, beaten back attempts to compel it to treat drivers as employees, arguing that its main business is a platform that brings riders and drivers together. And the money-losing company is under pressure to cut costs.

Many drivers want better pay from Uber rival Lyft Inc as well.

Syed Ali, an Uber driver and member of the striking New York Taxi Workers Alliance, in a statement said, "They have grown and grown and gotten richer and richer, but I haven't grown with the company. My condition as an Uber driver has gotten worse and worse."

Uber and Lyft have cut back on incentives and bonuses in more established markets to attract new drivers. They have also devised more complicated formulas for determining what riders pay and what drivers earn.

Both companies recently slashed the per-mile rate for drivers in Los Angeles and San Francisco, while increasing some other factors, such as per-minute rates. Some drivers estimated a loss of 10 per cent to 20 per cent in earnings.

The company and its critics are divided over how much drivers can make. Classified as independent contractors, they lack paid sick and vacation days and must cover their own expenses, such as car maintenance and gasoline.

US representatives for Uber and Lyft did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. Ahead of the actions, Lyft said its hourly wages have risen over the last two years and average over $20 per hour.

Uber noted that a recent study whose authors included current and former Uber employees showed driver gross earnings averaged $21 an hour. But a study by left-leaning Washington think tank Economic Policy Institute calculated that after costs, Uber drivers earned $9.21 an hour.

Uber drivers in London and major US cities held a series of strikes on Wednesday to protest the disparity between gig-economy conditions and the sums that investors are likely to make in Friday's blockbuster stock market debut.

Uber drivers in London and major US cities held a series of strikes on Wednesday to protest the disparity between gig-economy conditions and the sums that investors are likely to make in Friday's blockbuster stock market debut. Protests were sparsely attended in London, New York and California, and rides appeared easily available in some cities where strikes were called. Drivers and regulators around the world have long criticized the business tactics of Uber Technologies Inc. The expected valuation of up to $90 billion in its initial public offering on Friday is proving to be the latest flashpoint. Unions in Britain said support for the strike was strong, with drivers staying at home and passengers using the #UberShutDown hashtag to pledge solidarity on social media. The Uber app indicated fares were higher in London during a rainy morning rush hour due to increased demand. "Stand with these workers on strike today, across the UK and the world," said Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party. A few dozen protesters gathered at a rally in London. Another dozen attended a protest at about 9 am EDT (1300 GMT) near Wall Street in Manhattan. At Uber's headquarters in the borough of Queens in New York City, about 100 people gathered in the morning, but their numbers dwindled to a few dozen or so at 1 pm, when a rally was scheduled. Uber has 3 million drivers globally. Around a hundred people attended a rally in San Francisco, Uber's home town. Driver and organizer Rebecca Stack-Martinez said that widespread media coverage made the strike a success, adding that organizing in the gig economy of part-time, contract labour was difficult. "There is no directory out there of who's driving, how many drivers, how we can reach them," she said. "And so we have to be really creative about how we get to drivers and get them involved in the movement." Many drivers work part-time for the services and often divide their time between platforms, delivering food and goods as well as giving rides. The public calls for higher pay underscored that some drivers want more from Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi, who was hired to help move the company past a series of scandals, improve driver relations and manage the IPO. Uber is paying more than a million drivers about $300 million in one-time bonuses, for instance, and has changed policies such as allowing riders to tip. "Whether it's being able to track your earnings or stronger insurance protections, we'll continue working to improve the experience for and with drivers," the company said. 'Broken promises' Uber has steadfastly, and mostly successfully, beaten back attempts to compel it to treat drivers as employees, arguing that its main business is a platform that brings riders and drivers together. And the money-losing company is under pressure to cut costs. Many drivers want better pay from Uber rival Lyft Inc as well. Syed Ali, an Uber driver and member of the striking New York Taxi Workers Alliance, in a statement said, "They have grown and grown and gotten richer and richer, but I haven't grown with the company. My condition as an Uber driver has gotten worse and worse." Uber and Lyft have cut back on incentives and bonuses in more established markets to attract new drivers. They have also devised more complicated formulas for determining what riders pay and what drivers earn. Both companies recently slashed the per-mile rate for drivers in Los Angeles and San Francisco, while increasing some other factors, such as per-minute rates. Some drivers estimated a loss of 10 per cent to 20 per cent in earnings. The company and its critics are divided over how much drivers can make. Classified as independent contractors, they lack paid sick and vacation days and must cover their own expenses, such as car maintenance and gasoline. US representatives for Uber and Lyft did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. Ahead of the actions, Lyft said its hourly wages have risen over the last two years and average over $20 per hour. Uber noted that a recent study whose authors included current and former Uber employees showed driver gross earnings averaged $21 an hour. But a study by left-leaning Washington think tank Economic Policy Institute calculated that after costs, Uber drivers earned $9.21 an hour.

Uber drivers go on strike in London, US ahead of IPO

Rideshare drivers are striking and protesting in major cities across the United States, with many participating in a 24-hour strike of the Uber and Lyft apps that began at midnight on 8 May.

New York: Uber, Lyft drivers hold protest

Uber and Lyft drivers in New York and Chicago participated in a series of multi-city strikes on Wednesday to protest the disparity between gig-economy conditions and the sums that investors are likely to make in Friday's blockbuster stock market debut of Uber. Watch this video to know more.

WION Wallet: Uber, Lyft drivers hold protest

Uber Technologies Inc's drivers in New York will go on strike next week shortly before the ride-hailing company goes public to protest what they view as unfair employment conditions, a taxi union said on Friday.

The protests underscore the challenge for Uber of finding a way to lower driver costs in order to become profitable and paying drivers enough to retain their services.

Drivers for Uber, as well Lyft Inc and other ride-hailing apps, will strike on Wednesday for two hours, beginning at 7 am ET (1100 GMT). Uber currently expects to price its IPO on Thursday and begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange the following day.

The drivers join peers in San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, who are also planning to strike. The New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA) said the drivers are demanding job security, livable incomes and a cap on the amount ride-hailing companies can collect from fares.

"Uber claims that we are independent contractors even though they set our rates and control our work day," Sonam Lama, a NYTWA member and Uber driver since 2015, said in a statement.

"Uber executives are getting rich off of our work. They should treat us with respect. We are striking to send a message that drivers will keep rising up," Lama said.

Uber cautioned in its IPO filing that its business would be "adversely affected" if drivers were classified as employees instead of independent contractors.

The company hopes to be valued at between $80.5 billion and $91.5 billion. Uber has yet to turn a profit. It reported a net loss for the first quarter of 2019.

"I voted to go on strike because drivers need job security," said Henry Rolands, an NYTWA member and Lyft driver.

Uber did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Lyft said in an emailed statement that its drivers' hourly earnings have increased over the last two year. "Over 75 per cent drive less than 10 hours a week to supplement their existing jobs. On average, drivers nationwide earn over $20 per hour," Lyft said.

Uber Technologies Inc's drivers in New York will go on strike next week shortly before the ride-hailing company goes public to protest what they view as unfair employment conditions, a taxi union said on Friday.

Uber Technologies Inc's drivers in New York will go on strike next week shortly before the ride-hailing company goes public to protest what they view as unfair employment conditions, a taxi union said on Friday. The protests underscore the challenge for Uber of finding a way to lower driver costs in order to become profitable and paying drivers enough to retain their services. Drivers for Uber, as well Lyft Inc and other ride-hailing apps, will strike on Wednesday for two hours, beginning at 7 am ET (1100 GMT). Uber currently expects to price its IPO on Thursday and begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange the following day. The drivers join peers in San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, who are also planning to strike. The New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA) said the drivers are demanding job security, livable incomes and a cap on the amount ride-hailing companies can collect from fares. "Uber claims that we are independent contractors even though they set our rates and control our work day," Sonam Lama, a NYTWA member and Uber driver since 2015, said in a statement. "Uber executives are getting rich off of our work. They should treat us with respect. We are striking to send a message that drivers will keep rising up," Lama said. Uber cautioned in its IPO filing that its business would be "adversely affected" if drivers were classified as employees instead of independent contractors. The company hopes to be valued at between $80.5 billion and $91.5 billion. Uber has yet to turn a profit. It reported a net loss for the first quarter of 2019. "I voted to go on strike because drivers need job security," said Henry Rolands, an NYTWA member and Lyft driver. Uber did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lyft said in an emailed statement that its drivers' hourly earnings have increased over the last two year. "Over 75 per cent drive less than 10 hours a week to supplement their existing jobs. On average, drivers nationwide earn over $20 per hour," Lyft said.

Ride-hailing drivers in New York to strike ahead of Uber IPO

Global ride-sharing firm Uber on Friday faced another legal bump on the road to its blockbuster initial public offering, with taxi drivers launching a class action lawsuit in Australia.

Thousands of cabbies are alleging that Uber gained an unfair advantage and destroyed their livelihoods by knowingly operating above the law, according to a filing lodged in the state of Victoria on Friday.

Law firm Maurice Blackburn said their clients want to recover income they claim is lost as a result of Uber allegedly operating without proper licences for their drivers and vehicles.

"It is shaping (up) as one of the largest class actions in<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-pm-promises-migration-cut-refugee-freeze-if-re-elected-214043&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi7ja_Qv_7hAhXSheYKHYmUCrYQFjADegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3nuXtQnkkafwNk0qYMT6di"> Australian</a> history," said the firm's head of class actions Andrew Watson.

"Make no mistake, this will be a landmark case regarding the alleged illegal operations of Uber in Australia."

It is unclear whether the class action will be successful, or whether any payout -- even in the multiple millions of dollars -- would be anything more than a blip on the company's multi-billion dollar revenues.

But supporters hope it will serve as a reminder to investors that Uber's gig economy model is likely to face more legal and regulatory scrutiny.

That message comes at a sensitive time for the company, as it prepares to sell 207 million shares, raising up to $10 billion in a US IPO.

The company has already been hit by a series of scandals over executive misconduct, a toxic work atmosphere and potentially unethical competitive practices.

"It is a dud investment dressed up as something innovative," said Tony Sheldon of the Transport Workers' Union. "Its business model is based on exploitation, lies and illegal activity."

Uber told Australian media that it had not yet been notified of the action, but had become an established part of the transport mix, used by millions of people each year in Australia alone.&nbsp;

Global ride-sharing firm Uber on Friday faced another legal bump on the road to its blockbuster initial public offering, with taxi drivers launching a class action lawsuit in Australia.

Global ride-sharing firm Uber on Friday faced another legal bump on the road to its blockbuster initial public offering, with taxi drivers launching a class action lawsuit in Australia. Thousands of cabbies are alleging that Uber gained an unfair advantage and destroyed their livelihoods by knowingly operating above the law, according to a filing lodged in the state of Victoria on Friday. Law firm Maurice Blackburn said their clients want to recover income they claim is lost as a result of Uber allegedly operating without proper licences for their drivers and vehicles. "It is shaping (up) as one of the largest class actions in Australian history," said the firm's head of class actions Andrew Watson. "Make no mistake, this will be a landmark case regarding the alleged illegal operations of Uber in Australia." It is unclear whether the class action will be successful, or whether any payout -- even in the multiple millions of dollars -- would be anything more than a blip on the company's multi-billion dollar revenues. But supporters hope it will serve as a reminder to investors that Uber's gig economy model is likely to face more legal and regulatory scrutiny. That message comes at a sensitive time for the company, as it prepares to sell 207 million shares, raising up to $10 billion in a US IPO. The company has already been hit by a series of scandals over executive misconduct, a toxic work atmosphere and potentially unethical competitive practices. "It is a dud investment dressed up as something innovative," said Tony Sheldon of the Transport Workers' Union. "Its business model is based on exploitation, lies and illegal activity." Uber told Australian media that it had not yet been notified of the action, but had become an established part of the transport mix, used by millions of people each year in Australia alone.

Uber hit with Australia class action ahead of stock listing

Ride-hailing company <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/uber-lands-1-billion-from-softbank-toyota-for-self-driving-unit-211646&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj3_5eKi-3hAhUk7HMBHbKyDhEQFjAJegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0tPfbIuxVyBuXdciCH0Yex">Uber Technologies Inc</a> will unveil terms for its initial public offering on Friday, telling investors it will seek to be valued at between $80 billion and $90 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

The valuation sought is less than the $120 billion valuation that investment bankers told Uber last year it could fetch, and closer to the $76 billion valuation it attained in its last private fundraising round last year.

Uber's moderation of valuation expectations reflects the poor stock performance of its smaller rival Lyft Inc following its IPO last month.

Lyft shares ended trading on Thursday down 22 percent from their IPO price amid investor scepticism over its path to profitability.

Uber will unveil on Friday an IPO price range of between $44 and $50 per share, based on which it would raise between $8 billion and $9 billion, the sources said.

This would rank it as the largest IPO since that of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd in 2014.

In addition, some Uber insiders will also sell their own shares in the IPO, the sources said.

Reuters reported earlier this month that all the Uber shares sold in the IPO could be worth around $10 billion.

Uber also plans to unveil on Friday its last sale of stock as a private company, the sources said.

The identity of the investor involved in the private placement could not immediately be learned.

PayPal Holdings Inc plans to invest $500 million in a concurrent private placement at Uber's IPO price, Refinitiv IFR reported, citing sources.

Uber and PayPal were not immediately available to comment on the IFR report.

The investor roadshow will kick off in earnest on Monday, setting the stage for Uber to debut on the New York Stock Exchange in early May.

For the roadshow, Uber's top executives will travel the United States and make a stop in London to drum up investor interest in the IPO, sources said.

The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential.

Uber declined to comment. The price range was reported earlier by Bloomberg News.

Two other IPOs this month, those of online scrapbook company Pinterest Inc and video conferencing company Zoom Video Communications Inc, have performed much more strongly than Lyft.

Uber, however, has chosen to still value itself conservatively.

"People are more cautious than they were 4 weeks ago," said Duncan Davidson, general partner at Bullpen Capital, an early-stage venture capital investment firm.

Uber operates in more than 70 countries. In addition to ride-hailing, its business includes bike and scooter rentals, freight hauling, food delivery, and an expensive self-driving car division.

The ride-hailing startup has disclosed it has 91 million users, but growth is slowing and it may never make a profit.

Uber in 2018 had $11.3 billion in revenue, up around 42 per cent over 2017, but below the 106 per cent growth the prior year.

During the IPO roadshow, Uber's chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, will be tasked with convincing investors that he has successfully changed the company's culture and business practices after a series of embarrassing scandals over the last two years.

Those have included sexual harassment allegations, a massive data breach that was concealed from regulators, use of illicit software to evade authorities and allegations of bribery overseas.

Uber is reserving some shares in the IPO for drivers who have completed 2,500 trips among other criteria.

AUTONOMOUS DRIVING

Last week, Uber's autonomous vehicle unit raised $1 billion privately from a consortium of investors, including top Uber shareholder SoftBank Group Corp, giving the company a much-needed funding boost for its self-driving ambitions.

Last year, Uber settled a legal dispute over trade secrets with Alphabet Inc's Waymo self-driving vehicle unit.

Waymo, in its lawsuit, had said one of its former engineers who became chief of Uber's self-driving car project took with him thousands of confidential documents.

One advantage Uber will likely seek to play up to investors is that it is the largest player in many of the markets in which it operates.

Analysts consider building scale crucial for Uber's business model to become profitable.

Lyft, which was valued at $24.3 billion in its IPO, has focused only in the U.S. and Canadian markets.

"Investors are now asking for more clarity on how ride-sharing companies will monetize data they are collecting and if this is a scalable business," said Jordan Stuart, a client portfolio manager for Federated Kaufmann funds who often purchase stock in IPOs.

Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc will unveil terms for its initial public offering on Friday, telling investors it will seek to be valued at between $80 billion and $90 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc will unveil terms for its initial public offering on Friday, telling investors it will seek to be valued at between $80 billion and $90 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The valuation sought is less than the $120 billion valuation that investment bankers told Uber last year it could fetch, and closer to the $76 billion valuation it attained in its last private fundraising round last year. Uber's moderation of valuation expectations reflects the poor stock performance of its smaller rival Lyft Inc following its IPO last month. Lyft shares ended trading on Thursday down 22 percent from their IPO price amid investor scepticism over its path to profitability. Uber will unveil on Friday an IPO price range of between $44 and $50 per share, based on which it would raise between $8 billion and $9 billion, the sources said. This would rank it as the largest IPO since that of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd in 2014. In addition, some Uber insiders will also sell their own shares in the IPO, the sources said. Reuters reported earlier this month that all the Uber shares sold in the IPO could be worth around $10 billion. Uber also plans to unveil on Friday its last sale of stock as a private company, the sources said. The identity of the investor involved in the private placement could not immediately be learned. PayPal Holdings Inc plans to invest $500 million in a concurrent private placement at Uber's IPO price, Refinitiv IFR reported, citing sources. Uber and PayPal were not immediately available to comment on the IFR report. The investor roadshow will kick off in earnest on Monday, setting the stage for Uber to debut on the New York Stock Exchange in early May. For the roadshow, Uber's top executives will travel the United States and make a stop in London to drum up investor interest in the IPO, sources said. The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Uber declined to comment. The price range was reported earlier by Bloomberg News. Two other IPOs this month, those of online scrapbook company Pinterest Inc and video conferencing company Zoom Video Communications Inc, have performed much more strongly than Lyft. Uber, however, has chosen to still value itself conservatively. "People are more cautious than they were 4 weeks ago," said Duncan Davidson, general partner at Bullpen Capital, an early-stage venture capital investment firm. Uber operates in more than 70 countries. In addition to ride-hailing, its business includes bike and scooter rentals, freight hauling, food delivery, and an expensive self-driving car division. The ride-hailing startup has disclosed it has 91 million users, but growth is slowing and it may never make a profit. Uber in 2018 had $11.3 billion in revenue, up around 42 per cent over 2017, but below the 106 per cent growth the prior year. During the IPO roadshow, Uber's chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, will be tasked with convincing investors that he has successfully changed the company's culture and business practices after a series of embarrassing scandals over the last two years. Those have included sexual harassment allegations, a massive data breach that was concealed from regulators, use of illicit software to evade authorities and allegations of bribery overseas. Uber is reserving some shares in the IPO for drivers who have completed 2,500 trips among other criteria. AUTONOMOUS DRIVING Last week, Uber's autonomous vehicle unit raised $1 billion privately from a consortium of investors, including top Uber shareholder SoftBank Group Corp, giving the company a much-needed funding boost for its self-driving ambitions. Last year, Uber settled a legal dispute over trade secrets with Alphabet Inc's Waymo self-driving vehicle unit. Waymo, in its lawsuit, had said one of its former engineers who became chief of Uber's self-driving car project took with him thousands of confidential documents. One advantage Uber will likely seek to play up to investors is that it is the largest player in many of the markets in which it operates. Analysts consider building scale crucial for Uber's business model to become profitable. Lyft, which was valued at $24.3 billion in its IPO, has focused only in the U.S. and Canadian markets. "Investors are now asking for more clarity on how ride-sharing companies will monetize data they are collecting and if this is a scalable business," said Jordan Stuart, a client portfolio manager for Federated Kaufmann funds who often purchase stock in IPOs.

Uber to kick off investor road show with IPO terms on Friday

Uber's autonomous vehicle unit has raised $1 billion from a consortium of investors including SoftBank Group Corp, giving the company a much-needed funding boost for its pricey self-driving ambitions on the eve of its public stock offering.

Uber Technologies Inc said on Thursday that the investment valued its Advanced Technologies Group, which works to develop autonomous driving technology, at $7.25 billion. SoftBank will invest $333 million from its $100 billion Vision Fund, while Toyota Motor Corp and automotive company Denso Corp will combined invest $667 million.

Reuters had reported in March talks of the investment in ATG, which has locations in Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto.

The funding allows Uber to transfer some of the substantial cost of developing self-driving cars onto outside investors. That is likely to appease some investor concerns over Uber`s spending on the autonomous unit, which has topped $1 billion since the programme started in 2016.&nbsp;

The business unit brings in no meaningful revenue for Uber, which last year lost $3.03 billion. The company is not even offering free rides in the robot cars to passengers, like some of its rivals are, following a fatal crash last year in Arizona involving an Uber self-driving SUV.

Uber released its IPO filing this month and is preparing to launch is "roadshow," when it will pitch its company prospective investors, the week of April 29, setting up for an early May debut on the New York Stock Exchange.&nbsp;

Uber is expected to raise $10 billion at a $90 billion to $100 billion valuation, at least an 18 per cent jump from its current $76 billion valuation.

As part of the deal, ATG becomes its own legal entity but remains under the control of Uber with its financial performance folded into Uber`s. A new ATG board will be formed, with six seats from Uber, one from SoftBank and one from Toyota. Eric Meyhofer, currently the head of ATG, will take the title of CEO and report to the new board.&nbsp;

Such sizeable deals are unusual for companies so close to an IPO, because bringing in large new investors changes the company`s capital structure. The deal, however, will almost certainly require approval from the inter-agency regulatory group called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).&nbsp;

A law enacted last year expands that group`s powers to review minority stakes by foreign investors in startups with certain sensitive technologies, and self-driving technology is widely considered to have defence applications.

SoftBank`s investment in General Motors Co`s self-driving car unit Cruise is still under CFIUS review and is likely weeks away from a decision, even though that investment was announced more than a year ago.

Uber's autonomous vehicle unit has raised $1 billion from a consortium of investors including SoftBank Group Corp, giving the company a much-needed funding boost for its pricey self-driving ambitions on the eve of its public stock offering.

Uber's autonomous vehicle unit has raised $1 billion from a consortium of investors including SoftBank Group Corp, giving the company a much-needed funding boost for its pricey self-driving ambitions on the eve of its public stock offering. Uber Technologies Inc said on Thursday that the investment valued its Advanced Technologies Group, which works to develop autonomous driving technology, at $7.25 billion. SoftBank will invest $333 million from its $100 billion Vision Fund, while Toyota Motor Corp and automotive company Denso Corp will combined invest $667 million. Reuters had reported in March talks of the investment in ATG, which has locations in Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto. The funding allows Uber to transfer some of the substantial cost of developing self-driving cars onto outside investors. That is likely to appease some investor concerns over Uber`s spending on the autonomous unit, which has topped $1 billion since the programme started in 2016. The business unit brings in no meaningful revenue for Uber, which last year lost $3.03 billion. The company is not even offering free rides in the robot cars to passengers, like some of its rivals are, following a fatal crash last year in Arizona involving an Uber self-driving SUV. Uber released its IPO filing this month and is preparing to launch is "roadshow," when it will pitch its company prospective investors, the week of April 29, setting up for an early May debut on the New York Stock Exchange. Uber is expected to raise $10 billion at a $90 billion to $100 billion valuation, at least an 18 per cent jump from its current $76 billion valuation. As part of the deal, ATG becomes its own legal entity but remains under the control of Uber with its financial performance folded into Uber`s. A new ATG board will be formed, with six seats from Uber, one from SoftBank and one from Toyota. Eric Meyhofer, currently the head of ATG, will take the title of CEO and report to the new board. Such sizeable deals are unusual for companies so close to an IPO, because bringing in large new investors changes the company`s capital structure. The deal, however, will almost certainly require approval from the inter-agency regulatory group called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). A law enacted last year expands that group`s powers to review minority stakes by foreign investors in startups with certain sensitive technologies, and self-driving technology is widely considered to have defence applications. SoftBank`s investment in General Motors Co`s self-driving car unit Cruise is still under CFIUS review and is likely weeks away from a decision, even though that investment was announced more than a year ago.

Uber lands $1 billion from SoftBank, Toyota for self-driving unit

Uber's autonomous vehicle unit has raised $1 billion from a consortium of investors including SoftBank Group Corp, giving the company a much-needed funding boost for its pricey self-driving ambitions on the eve of its public stock offering.

Uber&nbsp;said on Thursday that the investment values its Advanced Technologies Group, which works to develop autonomous driving technology, at $7.25 billion. SoftBank will invest $333 million from its $100 billion Vision Fund, while Toyota Motor Corp and automotive parts supplier Denso Corp will invest a combined $667 million.

Toyota will also contribute up to an additional $300 million over the next three years to help cover the costs of building commercial self-driving vehicles, Uber said.

Reuters had reported in March talks of the investment in ATG.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that the funding "will help maintain Uber's position at the forefront of" a transforming transportation industry.

The funding allows Uber to transfer some of the substantial cost of developing self-driving cars onto outside investors. That is likely to appease some of Wall Street's concerns over Uber's spending on the autonomous unit, which has topped $1.07 billion since the program started in 2016.

In its filing for an initial public offering this month, Uber cautioned that development of self-driving technology "is expensive and time-consuming and may not be successful" and the company lagged certain competitors.

The self-driving business unit brings in no meaningful revenue for Uber, which last year lost $3.03 billion.

As part of the investment, ATG becomes its own legal entity but remains under the control of Uber. A new ATG board will be formed, with six directors appointed from Uber, one from SoftBank and one from Toyota. Eric Meyhofer, currently the head of ATG, will take the title of CEO and report to the new board.

Such sizeable deals are unusual for companies so close to an IPO, because bringing in large new investors changes the company's capital structure.

Uber is preparing to launch its "roadshow," when it will pitch its company prospective investors, the week of April 29, setting up for an early May debut on the New York Stock Exchange. It is expected to raise $10 billion at a $90 billion to $100 billion valuation.

National security concerns

The transaction is expected to close the third quarter. The deal, however, will almost certainly require approval from the inter-agency regulatory group called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

A law enacted last year expands that group's powers to review minority stakes by foreign investors in startups with certain sensitive technologies, and self-driving technology is widely considered to have defence applications.

SoftBank's investment in General Motors Co's self-driving car unit Cruise is still under CFIUS review and is likely weeks away from any decision, even though that investment was announced nearly a year ago.

Both SoftBank and Toyota are repeat Uber investors. SoftBank took a more than 16 per cent stake in the company after investing around $8 billion last year, becoming its largest shareholder. Toyota invested in Uber in 2016 and again in August with a $500 million check to work jointly to develop self-driving cars.

The investment comes despite growing disillusion with the self-driving business, which has failed to deliver on bold promises of commercial autonomous cars, and Uber's setbacks. A crash in March 2018 involving an Uber self-driving SUV killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona, and forced the company to shutter its biggest testing operation and halt autonomous driving in other cities.

Uber now has a small number of cars testing in Pittsburgh, during the day and in good weather, with two safety drivers. They do not offer rides to passengers.

The Tempe crash hurt the entire industry, say self-driving company executives, dealing a blow to public confidence in the safety of robot cars.

ATG chief scientist Raquel Urtasun said in an interview with Reuters this month it "is not clear" when self-driving cars will be deployed at a large scale, and for the next decade at least there will be a mix of robot and human-controlled cars.

Uber's autonomous vehicle unit has raised $1 billion from a consortium of investors including SoftBank Group Corp, giving the company a much-needed funding boost for its pricey self-driving ambitions on the eve of its public stock offering. Uber said on Thursday that the investment values its Advanced Technologies Group, which works to develop autonomous driving technology, at $7.25 billion. SoftBank will invest $333 million from its $100 billion Vision Fund, while Toyota Motor Corp and automotive parts supplier Denso Corp will invest a combined $667 million. Toyota will also contribute up to an additional $300 million over the next three years to help cover the costs of building commercial self-driving vehicles, Uber said. Reuters had reported in March talks of the investment in ATG. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that the funding "will help maintain Uber's position at the forefront of" a transforming transportation industry. The funding allows Uber to transfer some of the substantial cost of developing self-driving cars onto outside investors. That is likely to appease some of Wall Street's concerns over Uber's spending on the autonomous unit, which has topped $1.07 billion since the program started in 2016. In its filing for an initial public offering this month, Uber cautioned that development of self-driving technology "is expensive and time-consuming and may not be successful" and the company lagged certain competitors. The self-driving business unit brings in no meaningful revenue for Uber, which last year lost $3.03 billion. As part of the investment, ATG becomes its own legal entity but remains under the control of Uber. A new ATG board will be formed, with six directors appointed from Uber, one from SoftBank and one from Toyota. Eric Meyhofer, currently the head of ATG, will take the title of CEO and report to the new board. Such sizeable deals are unusual for companies so close to an IPO, because bringing in large new investors changes the company's capital structure. Uber is preparing to launch its "roadshow," when it will pitch its company prospective investors, the week of April 29, setting up for an early May debut on the New York Stock Exchange. It is expected to raise $10 billion at a $90 billion to $100 billion valuation. National security concerns The transaction is expected to close the third quarter. The deal, however, will almost certainly require approval from the inter-agency regulatory group called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). A law enacted last year expands that group's powers to review minority stakes by foreign investors in startups with certain sensitive technologies, and self-driving technology is widely considered to have defence applications. SoftBank's investment in General Motors Co's self-driving car unit Cruise is still under CFIUS review and is likely weeks away from any decision, even though that investment was announced nearly a year ago. Both SoftBank and Toyota are repeat Uber investors. SoftBank took a more than 16 per cent stake in the company after investing around $8 billion last year, becoming its largest shareholder. Toyota invested in Uber in 2016 and again in August with a $500 million check to work jointly to develop self-driving cars. The investment comes despite growing disillusion with the self-driving business, which has failed to deliver on bold promises of commercial autonomous cars, and Uber's setbacks. A crash in March 2018 involving an Uber self-driving SUV killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona, and forced the company to shutter its biggest testing operation and halt autonomous driving in other cities. Uber now has a small number of cars testing in Pittsburgh, during the day and in good weather, with two safety drivers. They do not offer rides to passengers. The Tempe crash hurt the entire industry, say self-driving company executives, dealing a blow to public confidence in the safety of robot cars. ATG chief scientist Raquel Urtasun said in an interview with Reuters this month it "is not clear" when self-driving cars will be deployed at a large scale, and for the next decade at least there will be a mix of robot and human-controlled cars.

Uber's self-driving unit valued at $7.25 billion in new investment

After running a pilot program to understand the preference of women drivers in Saudi Arabia, Uber has officially introduced a feature to let the drivers decide the riders. Uber announced the introduction of its 'Passenger Preference' feature in Saudi Arabia for the female drivers.

Uber allows Saudi women drivers to choose female passengers

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/lyft-files-for-stock-offering-beating-uber-to-wall-street-200590&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiBu--y9MnhAhUOY48KHbzbDJMQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0gfyJ0M7_GliGQQErJNKH8">Uber </a>Technologies Inc’s initial public offering filing on Thursday contains data that will be key to selling itself to investors.

The share sale follows a public offering by rival ride-sharing service Lyft Inc last month, whose shares have dropped to about $61 from an IPO price of $72.

Here are how the two companies compare on key metrics from Uber's filing:

REVENUE

Uber had $11.3 billion in 2018 vs Lyft $2.2 billion.

Uber's growth has been slowing relative to Lyft due to scandals and aggressive discounting by Lyft.

Lyft’s revenue more than doubled between 2017 and 2018 while Uber's grew around 42 per cent.

MARKET SHARE

Uber has lost market share but remains the leader.

Uber has 65 per cent share in North America while Lyft says it has 39 per cent in the United States.

ADJUSTED EBITDA

Both Uber and Lyft lose money though Uber has trimmed its losses in recent years.

Uber's adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization was just over $1.8 billion in 2018 compared to $2.6 billion in 2017.

Lyft lost $950 million in 2018 on the same basis.

MONTHLY ACTIVE USERS

Uber has 91 million monthly active users compared to Lyft's 18.6 million.

Uber's number includes customers of additional services beyond ride sharing.

Uber Technologies Inc’s initial public offering filing on Thursday contains data that will be key to selling itself to investors. The share sale follows a public offering by rival ride-sharing service Lyft Inc last month, whose shares have dropped to about $61 from an IPO price of $72.

Uber Technologies Inc’s initial public offering filing on Thursday contains data that will be key to selling itself to investors. The share sale follows a public offering by rival ride-sharing service Lyft Inc last month, whose shares have dropped to about $61 from an IPO price of $72. Here are how the two companies compare on key metrics from Uber's filing: REVENUE Uber had $11.3 billion in 2018 vs Lyft $2.2 billion. Uber's growth has been slowing relative to Lyft due to scandals and aggressive discounting by Lyft. Lyft’s revenue more than doubled between 2017 and 2018 while Uber's grew around 42 per cent. MARKET SHARE Uber has lost market share but remains the leader. Uber has 65 per cent share in North America while Lyft says it has 39 per cent in the United States. ADJUSTED EBITDA Both Uber and Lyft lose money though Uber has trimmed its losses in recent years. Uber's adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization was just over $1.8 billion in 2018 compared to $2.6 billion in 2017. Lyft lost $950 million in 2018 on the same basis. MONTHLY ACTIVE USERS Uber has 91 million monthly active users compared to Lyft's 18.6 million. Uber's number includes customers of additional services beyond ride sharing.

How Uber and Lyft compare on key financial metrics

Uber Technologies Inc has 91 million users, but growth is slowing and it may never make a profit, the ride-hailing company said on Thursday in its initial public offering filing.

The document gave the first comprehensive financial picture of the decade-old company which was started after its founders struggled to get a cab on a snowy night and have changed the way much of the world travels.

The S-1 filing underscores the rapid growth of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lyft-files-for-stock-offering-beating-uber-to-wall-street-200590">Uber</a>'s business in the last three years but also how a string of public scandals and increased competition from rivals have weighed on its plans to attract and retain riders.

The disclosure also highlighted how far Uber remains from turning a profit, with the company cautioning it expects operating expenses to "increase significantly in the foreseeable future" and it "may not achieve profitability." Uber lost $3.03 billion in 2018 from operations.

The filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission revealed Uber had 91 million average monthly active users on its platforms, including for ride-hailing and Uber Eats, at the end of 2018. This is up 33.8 per cent from 2017, but growth slowed from 51 per cent a year earlier.

Uber had not disclosed the latest user numbers before, and the figure indicates the scale of the business. Although its user base includes customers of other services as well as ride-sharing, Uber's 91 million is nearly five times the 18.6 million announced by rival Lyft Inc.

Uber in 2018 had revenue of $11.3 billion, up around 42 per cent over 2017, again below the 106 per cent growth the prior year.

Uber set a placeholder amount of $1 billion but did not specify the size of the IPO. Reuters reported this week that Uber plans to sell around $10 billion worth of stock at a valuation of between $90 billion and $100 billion. Investment bankers had previously told Uber it could be worth as much as $120 billion.

Uber would be the largest IPO since that of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd in 2014, which raised $25 billion.

Although Uber is no longer targeting a $120 billion valuation in the IPO, some stock bonuses to Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi and other company executives are only triggered when that valuation is reached.

Adverse events

Uber will follow Lyft in going public. Shares in its smaller rival closed at $61.01 on Thursday, 15 per cent below its IPO price set late last month, a development which has sent chilling signal for other tech start-ups looking to go public.

After making the public filing, Uber will begin a series of investor presentations, called a roadshow, which Reuters has reported will start the week of April 29. The company is on track to price its IPO and begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange in early May.

Uber faces questions over how it will navigate any transition towards self-driving vehicles, a technology seen as potentially dramatically lowering costs but which could also disrupt its business model.

One advantage Uber will likely seek to play up to investors is that it is the largest player in many of the markets in which it operates. Analysts consider building scale crucial for Uber's business model to become profitable.

In addition to answering questions about the company's finances, Uber CEO Khosrowshahi will be tasked with convincing investors that he has successfully changed the culture and business practices after a series of embarrassing scandals over the last two years.

Those have included sexual harassment allegations, a massive data breach that was concealed from regulators, use of illicit software to evade authorities and allegations of bribery overseas. Khosrowshahi joined Uber in 2017 from Expedia Inc to replace company co-founder Travis Kalanick who was ousted as CEO.

Uber said in its filing its ride-hailing position in the United States and Canada was "significantly impacted by adverse publicity events" and that its position in many markets has been threatened by discounts from other ride-hailing companies.

A #DeleteUber campaign surged on social media in 2017 after a public relations crisis, which Uber said in its filing meant hundreds of thousands of consumers stopped using its platform within days.

Uber said its market share fell in most regions last year, although the rate of decline has slowed. The company claims more than 65 per cent market share in the United States and Canada, compared to Lyft's stated 39 per cent in the United States.

Uber is reserving some shares in the IPO for drivers who have completed 2,500 trips among other criteria.

Uber Technologies Inc has 91 million users, but growth is slowing and it may never make a profit, the ride-hailing company said on Thursday in its initial public offering filing.

Uber Technologies Inc has 91 million users, but growth is slowing and it may never make a profit, the ride-hailing company said on Thursday in its initial public offering filing. The document gave the first comprehensive financial picture of the decade-old company which was started after its founders struggled to get a cab on a snowy night and have changed the way much of the world travels. The S-1 filing underscores the rapid growth of Uber's business in the last three years but also how a string of public scandals and increased competition from rivals have weighed on its plans to attract and retain riders. The disclosure also highlighted how far Uber remains from turning a profit, with the company cautioning it expects operating expenses to "increase significantly in the foreseeable future" and it "may not achieve profitability." Uber lost $3.03 billion in 2018 from operations. The filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission revealed Uber had 91 million average monthly active users on its platforms, including for ride-hailing and Uber Eats, at the end of 2018. This is up 33.8 per cent from 2017, but growth slowed from 51 per cent a year earlier. Uber had not disclosed the latest user numbers before, and the figure indicates the scale of the business. Although its user base includes customers of other services as well as ride-sharing, Uber's 91 million is nearly five times the 18.6 million announced by rival Lyft Inc. Uber in 2018 had revenue of $11.3 billion, up around 42 per cent over 2017, again below the 106 per cent growth the prior year. Uber set a placeholder amount of $1 billion but did not specify the size of the IPO. Reuters reported this week that Uber plans to sell around $10 billion worth of stock at a valuation of between $90 billion and $100 billion. Investment bankers had previously told Uber it could be worth as much as $120 billion. Uber would be the largest IPO since that of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd in 2014, which raised $25 billion. Although Uber is no longer targeting a $120 billion valuation in the IPO, some stock bonuses to Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi and other company executives are only triggered when that valuation is reached. Adverse events Uber will follow Lyft in going public. Shares in its smaller rival closed at $61.01 on Thursday, 15 per cent below its IPO price set late last month, a development which has sent chilling signal for other tech start-ups looking to go public. After making the public filing, Uber will begin a series of investor presentations, called a roadshow, which Reuters has reported will start the week of April 29. The company is on track to price its IPO and begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange in early May. Uber faces questions over how it will navigate any transition towards self-driving vehicles, a technology seen as potentially dramatically lowering costs but which could also disrupt its business model. One advantage Uber will likely seek to play up to investors is that it is the largest player in many of the markets in which it operates. Analysts consider building scale crucial for Uber's business model to become profitable. In addition to answering questions about the company's finances, Uber CEO Khosrowshahi will be tasked with convincing investors that he has successfully changed the culture and business practices after a series of embarrassing scandals over the last two years. Those have included sexual harassment allegations, a massive data breach that was concealed from regulators, use of illicit software to evade authorities and allegations of bribery overseas. Khosrowshahi joined Uber in 2017 from Expedia Inc to replace company co-founder Travis Kalanick who was ousted as CEO. Uber said in its filing its ride-hailing position in the United States and Canada was "significantly impacted by adverse publicity events" and that its position in many markets has been threatened by discounts from other ride-hailing companies. A #DeleteUber campaign surged on social media in 2017 after a public relations crisis, which Uber said in its filing meant hundreds of thousands of consumers stopped using its platform within days. Uber said its market share fell in most regions last year, although the rate of decline has slowed. The company claims more than 65 per cent market share in the United States and Canada, compared to Lyft's stated 39 per cent in the United States. Uber is reserving some shares in the IPO for drivers who have completed 2,500 trips among other criteria.

Uber unveils IPO as growth slows amid profit warning

Shares in Lyft surged Friday in its stock market debut, after raising $2.3 billion in an IPO that marks a turning point for the ride-hailing business and the so-called "sharing economy."

The six-year old San Francisco-based company, trading on Nasdaq under the ticker "LYFT," opened at $87.24, up 21 per cent from its initial offering price before retreating somewhat. Near 1650 GMT, shares were trading at $80.92, up 12.4 per cent.

Lyft was first off the line with its stock offering ahead of an expected IPO later this year from its much-larger rival Uber. Other hotly-anticipated tech IPOs are expected this year from business collaboration firm Slack and visual discovery engine Pinterest. &nbsp;

Uber and Lyft are among the most prominent firms in the sharing economy, which also includes home-sharing platform Airbnb, and highlight a trend away from ownership to services.

Both companies have driven the smartphone economy to spectacular growth to the detriment of the taxi industry, while also raising questions for automakers about car sales.&nbsp;

"Ridesharing has transformed our lives, making it easier and cheaper to get where we need to go, and it's pioneering an undeniable trend toward transportation as a service," said Gene Munster and Will Thompson of the investment firm Loup Ventures, in a research note this week.

These firms, which also are stepping up moves to autonomous rides, have been expanding aggressively -- with Lyft gaining market share in the United States and Uber in dozens of international markets.

They also have sought to become broader transportation platforms that connect consumers to e-scooters, electric bikes and local transit systems.

Big losses

But Lyft lost $911 million on $2.2 billion in 2018 revenues. Documents show revenues grew sharply from just $343 million in 2016, but losses widened as well.

"Lyft will have to sustain strong double-digit revenue growth for a several years before coming close to break even," said a note from Briefing.com said in a note, adding that ride-hailing profitability could be enhanced significantly by autonomous driving, an ambition of both of the main players.

"We are still in the very early innings in terms of this transition to the transportation-as-a-service market," Briefing said. "While smaller upstarts continue to enter the space, Uber and Lyft enjoy a duopoly."

Analyst Richard Windsor, who writes the tech blog Radio Free Mobile, argues that Lyft may not be ready for the scrutiny it will face as a publicly-traded firm.

"Lyft is shooting itself in the foot by going public, as I continue to think that the company is not ready for the harsh glare of the public market and it is giving away a big edge that it could have had over Uber," Windsor writes.

Controversy

The surge in the industry has not been without controversy.

One issue has been increased congestion: Schaller Consult estimated there are more than 10,000 taxis and ride-hailing vehicles on the road at the center of Manhattan each afternoon, two times the level in 2013.

"One-third of the vehicles are empty, meaning between the drop-off of one passenger and pick-up of the next passenger, clogging the streets without any mobility benefit to anyone," Schaller said.

Labor practices have also drawn heckles.&nbsp;

Lyft and Uber have been classified as independent contractors, claiming that most drivers prefer the flexible work arrangement, even if it offers fewer benefits and less job security.

Lyft drivers took to the streets of San Francisco earlier this week to protest low pay, pressuring the company as it put its finishing touches on the IPO.

In 2017, Uber paid $20 million to settle a Federal Trade Commission suit that alleged the company misled drivers on pay.

Shares in Lyft surged Friday in its stock market debut, after raising $2.3 billion in an IPO that marks a turning point for the ride-hailing business and the so-called "sharing economy.

Shares in Lyft surged Friday in its stock market debut, after raising $2.3 billion in an IPO that marks a turning point for the ride-hailing business and the so-called "sharing economy." The six-year old San Francisco-based company, trading on Nasdaq under the ticker "LYFT," opened at $87.24, up 21 per cent from its initial offering price before retreating somewhat. Near 1650 GMT, shares were trading at $80.92, up 12.4 per cent. Lyft was first off the line with its stock offering ahead of an expected IPO later this year from its much-larger rival Uber. Other hotly-anticipated tech IPOs are expected this year from business collaboration firm Slack and visual discovery engine Pinterest. Uber and Lyft are among the most prominent firms in the sharing economy, which also includes home-sharing platform Airbnb, and highlight a trend away from ownership to services. Both companies have driven the smartphone economy to spectacular growth to the detriment of the taxi industry, while also raising questions for automakers about car sales. "Ridesharing has transformed our lives, making it easier and cheaper to get where we need to go, and it's pioneering an undeniable trend toward transportation as a service," said Gene Munster and Will Thompson of the investment firm Loup Ventures, in a research note this week. These firms, which also are stepping up moves to autonomous rides, have been expanding aggressively -- with Lyft gaining market share in the United States and Uber in dozens of international markets. They also have sought to become broader transportation platforms that connect consumers to e-scooters, electric bikes and local transit systems. Big losses But Lyft lost $911 million on $2.2 billion in 2018 revenues. Documents show revenues grew sharply from just $343 million in 2016, but losses widened as well. "Lyft will have to sustain strong double-digit revenue growth for a several years before coming close to break even," said a note from Briefing.com said in a note, adding that ride-hailing profitability could be enhanced significantly by autonomous driving, an ambition of both of the main players. "We are still in the very early innings in terms of this transition to the transportation-as-a-service market," Briefing said. "While smaller upstarts continue to enter the space, Uber and Lyft enjoy a duopoly." Analyst Richard Windsor, who writes the tech blog Radio Free Mobile, argues that Lyft may not be ready for the scrutiny it will face as a publicly-traded firm. "Lyft is shooting itself in the foot by going public, as I continue to think that the company is not ready for the harsh glare of the public market and it is giving away a big edge that it could have had over Uber," Windsor writes. Controversy The surge in the industry has not been without controversy. One issue has been increased congestion: Schaller Consult estimated there are more than 10,000 taxis and ride-hailing vehicles on the road at the center of Manhattan each afternoon, two times the level in 2013. "One-third of the vehicles are empty, meaning between the drop-off of one passenger and pick-up of the next passenger, clogging the streets without any mobility benefit to anyone," Schaller said. Labor practices have also drawn heckles. Lyft and Uber have been classified as independent contractors, claiming that most drivers prefer the flexible work arrangement, even if it offers fewer benefits and less job security. Lyft drivers took to the streets of San Francisco earlier this week to protest low pay, pressuring the company as it put its finishing touches on the IPO. In 2017, Uber paid $20 million to settle a Federal Trade Commission suit that alleged the company misled drivers on pay.

Ride-hailing company Lyft rises in Wall Street premier

Uber could offer over $3 billion to Careem: Report

Just minutes after militants attacked a luxury hotel complex in Nairobi last month, the first ambulances roared up to collect wounded survivors.

Speedy medical help is taken for granted in the West, but many developing nations do not have centralised emergency command. Confusion during past attacks in Kenya cost lives.

This time, the response was far better, partly thanks to Flare, a new ride-hailing app whose ambulances were first to the dusitD2 hotel and office complex hit by Somalia's al Shabaab.

"Flare was telling us what is happening, how to position our ambulances, how to evacuate, how to ask for additional resources," said Kelvin Osano, ambulance fleet manager at the nearby private Avenue Hospital where the injured poured in.

The four gunmen and a suicide bomber killed 21 people, just around the corner from another al Shabaab attack in 2013 that took 67 lives at the Westgate shopping centre.

Back then, the medical response was "horrible," Osano said.

There was no triage at the scene. Bleeding patients were bundled into vehicles without being stabilised. A security cordon prevented ambulances from coming close to victims.

But at the hotel complex, ambulances scrambled by Flare - run by the Rescue.co company - arrived quickly after panicked calls from subscribers who had paid the 2,400 shillings ($24) annual fee. The first ambulance came within 12 minutes, and by the hour 20 were there.

Eric Ogot, a former nurse who mans the Rescue.co hotline, gave first aid by phone to office workers hiding as gunmen roamed. He helped triage patients remotely and assigned drivers. "Our job would be to try and be the calming presence," he said.

In the absence of official information, Flare's emergency number raced across Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.

Soon, it was not just individuals or business customers calling, but relatives of the missing too.

The nearby Australian High Commission agreed to be an ambulance staging post for Flare.

Police fed Rescue.co information.

Peter Koome, a paramedic with charity St. John Ambulance, said the improved coordination, along with better training and access, certainly helped save lives.

Of 30 people badly wounded, all but two survived.

Americans Caitlin Dolkart and Maria Rabinovich founded Rescue.co in 2016. The Flare app works like ride-hailing and food-delivery services and now has tens of thousands of subscribers and 500 ambulances across Kenya.

Whereas Kenyans with an emergency are used to calling their closest hospital and ambulances often become ensnared in traffic, Flare streamlines services by monitoring ambulance locations and traffic conditions in real time. Dolkart said it hopes to expand, both around the region and into fire and security services - building on its experience at dusitD2.

Just minutes after militants attacked a luxury hotel complex in Nairobi last month, the first ambulances roared up to collect wounded survivors. Speedy medical help is taken for granted in the West, but many developing nations do not have centralised emergency command.

Just minutes after militants attacked a luxury hotel complex in Nairobi last month, the first ambulances roared up to collect wounded survivors. Speedy medical help is taken for granted in the West, but many developing nations do not have centralised emergency command. Confusion during past attacks in Kenya cost lives. This time, the response was far better, partly thanks to Flare, a new ride-hailing app whose ambulances were first to the dusitD2 hotel and office complex hit by Somalia's al Shabaab. "Flare was telling us what is happening, how to position our ambulances, how to evacuate, how to ask for additional resources," said Kelvin Osano, ambulance fleet manager at the nearby private Avenue Hospital where the injured poured in. The four gunmen and a suicide bomber killed 21 people, just around the corner from another al Shabaab attack in 2013 that took 67 lives at the Westgate shopping centre. Back then, the medical response was "horrible," Osano said. There was no triage at the scene. Bleeding patients were bundled into vehicles without being stabilised. A security cordon prevented ambulances from coming close to victims. But at the hotel complex, ambulances scrambled by Flare - run by the Rescue.co company - arrived quickly after panicked calls from subscribers who had paid the 2,400 shillings ($24) annual fee. The first ambulance came within 12 minutes, and by the hour 20 were there. Eric Ogot, a former nurse who mans the Rescue.co hotline, gave first aid by phone to office workers hiding as gunmen roamed. He helped triage patients remotely and assigned drivers. "Our job would be to try and be the calming presence," he said. In the absence of official information, Flare's emergency number raced across Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. Soon, it was not just individuals or business customers calling, but relatives of the missing too. The nearby Australian High Commission agreed to be an ambulance staging post for Flare. Police fed Rescue.co information. Peter Koome, a paramedic with charity St. John Ambulance, said the improved coordination, along with better training and access, certainly helped save lives. Of 30 people badly wounded, all but two survived. Americans Caitlin Dolkart and Maria Rabinovich founded Rescue.co in 2016. The Flare app works like ride-hailing and food-delivery services and now has tens of thousands of subscribers and 500 ambulances across Kenya. Whereas Kenyans with an emergency are used to calling their closest hospital and ambulances often become ensnared in traffic, Flare streamlines services by monitoring ambulance locations and traffic conditions in real time. Dolkart said it hopes to expand, both around the region and into fire and security services - building on its experience at dusitD2.

Kenya's ambulance 'Uber' at heart of siege rescue

International ride-hailing service Uber said it was suspending its taxi service in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona after local authorities passed a regulation which would limit how they operate in the city.

Uber has operated in Barcelona via its UberX service which uses professional, licensed drivers, since March of last year.

"The new restrictions approved by the Catalan Government leave us with no choice but to suspend UberX while we assess our future in Barcelona. We are committed to being a long term partner to Spanish cities and hope to work with the Catalan Government and the City Council on fair regulation for all," an Uber spokesman said.

The local Catalan government has decreed that ride-hailing services can only pick up passengers after a delay of at least 15 minutes from the time of being booked.

The new regulation came after pressure from taxi drivers, which have held many strikes in Barcelona and remain on strike in the Spanish capital Madrid.

International ride-hailing service Uber said it was suspending its taxi service in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona after local authorities passed a regulation which would limit how they operate in the city.

International ride-hailing service Uber said it was suspending its taxi service in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona after local authorities passed a regulation which would limit how they operate in the city. Uber has operated in Barcelona via its UberX service which uses professional, licensed drivers, since March of last year. "The new restrictions approved by the Catalan Government leave us with no choice but to suspend UberX while we assess our future in Barcelona. We are committed to being a long term partner to Spanish cities and hope to work with the Catalan Government and the City Council on fair regulation for all," an Uber spokesman said. The local Catalan government has decreed that ride-hailing services can only pick up passengers after a delay of at least 15 minutes from the time of being booked. The new regulation came after pressure from taxi drivers, which have held many strikes in Barcelona and remain on strike in the Spanish capital Madrid.

Uber suspends taxi service in Barcelona after new regulation

Uber will now remove riders who despite repeated warnings misbehave or damage the driver or co-passengers property, as per the updated community guidelines of the ride-hailing giant.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uber-plans-smaller-more-cautious-self-driving-car-launch-181781">US-based company</a> has also added a 'Driver Safety Toolkit' - designed on the lines of a similar offering for riders - to offer a suite of in-app safety features for its driver-partners in India.

"Courtesy matters. Riders are expected to exercise good judgment and behave decently towards other people in the car when riding with Uber... Riders may lose access to Uber if they don't meet the star rating requirements set out in the community guidelines," Uber Head of Cities (India and South Asia) Prabhjeet Singh told PTI.

Singh explained that the company will now start removing from its platform those riders who despite repeated warnings flout Uber's community guidelines. These riders will be given enough notifications before they are removed from the platform, and the number of such riders would be "handful", he said.

"We have updated Uber's community guidelines which extend the same behavioural standards to the riders that Uber has for the driver partners. Even though a vast majority of riders will not be affected by this update, it reminds a select few what behaviour is expected of them while using the app," Singh added.

Some of the reasons for losing access to Uber would include damage to drivers' or other passengers' property, use of inappropriate and abusive language or gestures, unwanted contact with the driver or fellow passenger after the trip is over, and breaking the local law while using Uber.&nbsp;

"If we are made aware of these kinds of problematic behaviour, we will contact you so we can investigate them. Depending on the nature of the concern, we may put a hold on your account during our investigation. If the issues raised are serious or a repeat offence or you refuse to cooperate, you may lose access to Uber," the guidelines said.&nbsp;

It added that any behaviour involving violence, sexual misconduct, harassment, discrimination, or illegal activity while using Uber can result in the immediate loss of access to the account.&nbsp;

These steps have been taken to strengthen the safety of the drivers on Uber's platform and to foster an environment of mutual respect between riders and driver-partners, Singh said.

"There can be no Uber without driver partners - they are at the centre of Uber's business... We have been focussing our efforts on developing products that increase transparency, accountability, and safety for all our stakeholders -- driver-partners as well as drivers," he added.

For driver-partners, Uber is rolling out an emergency button and the 'share trip feature' as part of the driver safety toolkit. Singh clarified that the share trip feature for drivers will allow them to share their locations with friends and family, but no details of the rider will be shared as part of this.&nbsp;

Uber, which is locked in an intense battle with Ola for leadership in markets like India and Australia, has about three lakh driver-partners in India.&nbsp;

The US-based company saw its revenue grow manifold from India business to Rs 21.5 crore, while net profit was at Rs 19.6 lakh in the fiscal ended March 2018. Uber has previously stated that it remains committed to investing in India ? which is among its top markets.

Uber will now remove riders who despite repeated warnings misbehave or damage the driver or co-passengers property, as per the updated community guidelines of the ride-hailing giant.

Uber will now remove riders who despite repeated warnings misbehave or damage the driver or co-passengers property, as per the updated community guidelines of the ride-hailing giant. The US-based company has also added a 'Driver Safety Toolkit' - designed on the lines of a similar offering for riders - to offer a suite of in-app safety features for its driver-partners in India. "Courtesy matters. Riders are expected to exercise good judgment and behave decently towards other people in the car when riding with Uber... Riders may lose access to Uber if they don't meet the star rating requirements set out in the community guidelines," Uber Head of Cities (India and South Asia) Prabhjeet Singh told PTI. Singh explained that the company will now start removing from its platform those riders who despite repeated warnings flout Uber's community guidelines. These riders will be given enough notifications before they are removed from the platform, and the number of such riders would be "handful", he said. "We have updated Uber's community guidelines which extend the same behavioural standards to the riders that Uber has for the driver partners. Even though a vast majority of riders will not be affected by this update, it reminds a select few what behaviour is expected of them while using the app," Singh added. Some of the reasons for losing access to Uber would include damage to drivers' or other passengers' property, use of inappropriate and abusive language or gestures, unwanted contact with the driver or fellow passenger after the trip is over, and breaking the local law while using Uber. "If we are made aware of these kinds of problematic behaviour, we will contact you so we can investigate them. Depending on the nature of the concern, we may put a hold on your account during our investigation. If the issues raised are serious or a repeat offence or you refuse to cooperate, you may lose access to Uber," the guidelines said. It added that any behaviour involving violence, sexual misconduct, harassment, discrimination, or illegal activity while using Uber can result in the immediate loss of access to the account. These steps have been taken to strengthen the safety of the drivers on Uber's platform and to foster an environment of mutual respect between riders and driver-partners, Singh said. "There can be no Uber without driver partners - they are at the centre of Uber's business... We have been focussing our efforts on developing products that increase transparency, accountability, and safety for all our stakeholders -- driver-partners as well as drivers," he added. For driver-partners, Uber is rolling out an emergency button and the 'share trip feature' as part of the driver safety toolkit. Singh clarified that the share trip feature for drivers will allow them to share their locations with friends and family, but no details of the rider will be shared as part of this. Uber, which is locked in an intense battle with Ola for leadership in markets like India and Australia, has about three lakh driver-partners in India. The US-based company saw its revenue grow manifold from India business to Rs 21.5 crore, while net profit was at Rs 19.6 lakh in the fiscal ended March 2018. Uber has previously stated that it remains committed to investing in India ? which is among its top markets.

'Courtesy matters', Uber to remove riders who misbehave or damage properties despite warnings

A South Korean taxi driver burned himself to death on Monday in protest at an Uber-like ride-sharing service being introduced by the country's largest mobile chat app, reports said.

South Korean taxi drivers have angrily protested against the car-pooling service created by KakaoTalk, saying it would threaten their jobs and livelihoods.&nbsp;

US giant Uber has only a minimal presence in the country, offering only taxi- and licensed-hire vehicle hailing after closing its main ride-sharing service in 2015 in the face of an extensive backlash from drivers.

But Kakao is used by more than 80 per cent of South Koreans, and in recent months tens of thousands of taxi drivers have held mass rallies in Seoul to condemn its upcoming car-pooling service, which is due to launch next week. &nbsp;

The 57-year-old driver surnamed Choi, set himself alight in front of the national parliament in Seoul after complaining about the carpooling service, according to the police and Yonhap news agency.

Choi had told another taxi driver he wanted to set himself on fire "because of the Kakao carpool", Yonhap news agency quoted the man as saying.

He poured fuel over himself while sitting in his vehicle and set himself alight, police said. He was taken to hospital but died hours later.

Choi was a leader of the union branch at his firm in Seoul.

A South Korean taxi driver burned himself to death on Monday in protest at an Uber-like ride-sharing service being introduced by the country's largest mobile chat app, reports said.

A South Korean taxi driver burned himself to death on Monday in protest at an Uber-like ride-sharing service being introduced by the country's largest mobile chat app, reports said. South Korean taxi drivers have angrily protested against the car-pooling service created by KakaoTalk, saying it would threaten their jobs and livelihoods. US giant Uber has only a minimal presence in the country, offering only taxi- and licensed-hire vehicle hailing after closing its main ride-sharing service in 2015 in the face of an extensive backlash from drivers. But Kakao is used by more than 80 per cent of South Koreans, and in recent months tens of thousands of taxi drivers have held mass rallies in Seoul to condemn its upcoming car-pooling service, which is due to launch next week. The 57-year-old driver surnamed Choi, set himself alight in front of the national parliament in Seoul after complaining about the carpooling service, according to the police and Yonhap news agency. Choi had told another taxi driver he wanted to set himself on fire "because of the Kakao carpool", Yonhap news agency quoted the man as saying. He poured fuel over himself while sitting in his vehicle and set himself alight, police said. He was taken to hospital but died hours later. Choi was a leader of the union branch at his firm in Seoul.

South Korea cab driver burns himself to death in protest against ride-sharing service

Uber&nbsp;Technologies Inc's is plotting the return of its self-driving cars, but the company known for its hard-charging style is taking a much more conservative approach as it tries to recover from a fatal accident that upended its autonomous vehicle program.

After it receives approval from the state of Pennsylvania,&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;plans to begin driving "a handful" of cars on a mile loop between two company offices in Pittsburgh, where&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;first debuted its autonomous vehicles in 2016, company spokeswoman Sarah Abboud said. That would mark&nbsp;Uber's first self-driving car tests on public streets since it halted its operations nearly nine months ago in the wake of a crash in Arizona that killed a pedestrian.

The diminutive launch is a dramatic downsize from&nbsp;Uber's previous operation. The company in the past unleashed its fleet in autonomous mode on public roads at high speeds, after dark, in areas crowded with pedestrians and with a single backup driver in the front seat.

This time, the cars will not operate at night or in wet weather, and will not exceed speeds of 25 miles per hour, Abboud said. Two employees will sit in the front seats, and the company has no plans to resume picking up passengers in the robot cars, a service&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;launched in 2016.

The New York Times first reported on&nbsp;Uber's plans on Wednesday.

Abboud said&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;was awaiting approval from Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation and would not begin testing before then. She said there was no firm start date.

In March, authorities in Arizona suspended&nbsp;Uber's ability to test its self-driving cars after one of its cars hit and killed a woman crossing the street at night in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe,&nbsp;Uber's largest testing hub.&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;also voluntarily halted its entire autonomous car testing program.

Resuming an autonomous driving program is crucial.&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;has a deal with Volvo to purchase up to 24,000 cars, and recently Toyota invested $500 million to develop self-driving cars with&nbsp;Uber.

Uber&nbsp;had pledged to start self-driving operations by this past summer in Pittsburgh, but the company faced immense pressure from regulators, federal investigators and an internal review of safety practices. Last month,&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;released a safety report that outlined several changes, including enabling an automatic braking system and improving the cars' ability to quickly detect and react to objects on the road.

The National Transportation Safety Board has an ongoing investigation into the Arizona crash, the findings of which are expected in a major report next year.

Uber Technologies Inc's is plotting the return of its self-driving cars, but the company known for its hard-charging style is taking a much more conservative approach as it tries to recover from a fatal accident that upended its autonomous vehicle program.

Uber Technologies Inc's is plotting the return of its self-driving cars, but the company known for its hard-charging style is taking a much more conservative approach as it tries to recover from a fatal accident that upended its autonomous vehicle program. After it receives approval from the state of Pennsylvania, Uber plans to begin driving "a handful" of cars on a mile loop between two company offices in Pittsburgh, where Uber first debuted its autonomous vehicles in 2016, company spokeswoman Sarah Abboud said. That would mark Uber's first self-driving car tests on public streets since it halted its operations nearly nine months ago in the wake of a crash in Arizona that killed a pedestrian. The diminutive launch is a dramatic downsize from Uber's previous operation. The company in the past unleashed its fleet in autonomous mode on public roads at high speeds, after dark, in areas crowded with pedestrians and with a single backup driver in the front seat. This time, the cars will not operate at night or in wet weather, and will not exceed speeds of 25 miles per hour, Abboud said. Two employees will sit in the front seats, and the company has no plans to resume picking up passengers in the robot cars, a service Uber launched in 2016. The New York Times first reported on Uber's plans on Wednesday. Abboud said Uber was awaiting approval from Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation and would not begin testing before then. She said there was no firm start date. In March, authorities in Arizona suspended Uber's ability to test its self-driving cars after one of its cars hit and killed a woman crossing the street at night in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe, Uber's largest testing hub. Uber also voluntarily halted its entire autonomous car testing program. Resuming an autonomous driving program is crucial. Uber has a deal with Volvo to purchase up to 24,000 cars, and recently Toyota invested $500 million to develop self-driving cars with Uber. Uber had pledged to start self-driving operations by this past summer in Pittsburgh, but the company faced immense pressure from regulators, federal investigators and an internal review of safety practices. Last month, Uber released a safety report that outlined several changes, including enabling an automatic braking system and improving the cars' ability to quickly detect and react to objects on the road. The National Transportation Safety Board has an ongoing investigation into the Arizona crash, the findings of which are expected in a major report next year.

Uber plans smaller, more cautious self-driving car launch

Uber plans for every car on its taxi app in London to be fully electric in 2025 and will add a clean air fee to each trip from early next year, its boss told reporters in the British capital city on Tuesday.

Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi, who pulled out of a Saudi conference after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, also said the firm would wait for answers about the incident before deciding how that might affect Saudi investment in a stock market flotation.

After reports that Uber was looking into acquiring British food courier Deliveroo, Khosrowshahi said the firm was very happy with its Uber Eats equivalent but is talking to many players around the world.

"Is something going to happen with Deliveroo? Who knows," he said.

The rapidly-expanding firm is simultaneously trying to appease regulators in key markets such as London, with initiatives such as on environmentally-friendly vehicles, as well as expanding into new areas ahead of a flotation.

After a media report said the firm was seeking minority stakes in its self-driving car business Advanced Technologies Group, Khosrowshahi said:

"It's going to be part of the family and how the capitalisation looks like is something that we are ultimately open to but it is not an area of focus right now."

In light of the Khashoggi affair, asked about how Uber might handle Saudi investment as part of its IPO, he said:

"First we want to get the facts and we will make that determination about how we go forward, how we raise money going forward, what our post-IPO board make-up is."

"All of those are options and again we make conclusions based on all the facts," he added.

Uber plans for every car on its taxi app in London to be fully electric in 2025 and will add a clean air fee to each trip from early next year, its boss told reporters in the British capital city on Tuesday.

Uber plans for every car on its taxi app in London to be fully electric in 2025 and will add a clean air fee to each trip from early next year, its boss told reporters in the British capital city on Tuesday. Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi, who pulled out of a Saudi conference after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, also said the firm would wait for answers about the incident before deciding how that might affect Saudi investment in a stock market flotation. After reports that Uber was looking into acquiring British food courier Deliveroo, Khosrowshahi said the firm was very happy with its Uber Eats equivalent but is talking to many players around the world. "Is something going to happen with Deliveroo? Who knows," he said. The rapidly-expanding firm is simultaneously trying to appease regulators in key markets such as London, with initiatives such as on environmentally-friendly vehicles, as well as expanding into new areas ahead of a flotation. After a media report said the firm was seeking minority stakes in its self-driving car business Advanced Technologies Group, Khosrowshahi said: "It's going to be part of the family and how the capitalisation looks like is something that we are ultimately open to but it is not an area of focus right now." In light of the Khashoggi affair, asked about how Uber might handle Saudi investment as part of its IPO, he said: "First we want to get the facts and we will make that determination about how we go forward, how we raise money going forward, what our post-IPO board make-up is." "All of those are options and again we make conclusions based on all the facts," he added.

Uber aims to go all-electric in London by 2025

Hundreds of drivers for ride-hailing giant Uber and its local rival Ola went on strike in&nbsp;Delhi and Mumbai, on Monday, demanding higher fares to meet rising fuel costs that are eating away at their incomes.

Fuel prices in India have risen more than 20 per cent since the start of the year but drivers say fares have not grown at the same rate, making it difficult for them to meet expenses despite working longer hours.

"The companies don`t understand the issues drivers face ... they have reduced fares when they should be paying a higher rate," said Sunil Borkar, secretary at Mumbai taxi drivers` union Maharashtra Rajya Rashtriya Kamgar Sangh.&nbsp;

Borkar said there have been calls from some drivers for an indefinite strike in Mumbai until demands for higher fares are met. He was unsure about how many drivers would eventually join the strike, he added.&nbsp;

Uber said in a statement: "We regret the disruption caused to our rider and driver-partner community, due to a small group of individuals." It is committed to ensuring that drivers "continue to access a stable income", it added.

Ola did not respond to an email seeking comments.

In both cities, passengers said they had to wait longer than normal for Uber and Ola cars.

At a protest outside Uber`s office in Mumbai, dozens of drivers held up placards with messages including "Uber go back" and "Ola is the biggest thief" while shouting slogans like "down with Uber", according to a Reuters witness.&nbsp;

One protestor was seen angrily beating a poster of Ola`s founder Bhavish Aggarwal with a flip-flop. Some drivers who were still ferrying passengers were pulled up by protesters and asked to stop working, the witness said.&nbsp;

In Delhi, the strike by drivers was exacerbated by a separate stoppage by fuel pump owners demanding the city government cut the price of petrol and diesel in line with neighbouring states.&nbsp;

The rising cost of fuel, caused by higher oil prices and a weak rupee, is the latest setback for drivers already operating on thin margins. Their incomes have plunged over the past two years after Uber and Ola cut incentives to boost profitability.

When incentives were high many drivers quit well-paying jobs and took out loans to buy cars in the hope of higher earnings. As more drivers joined the platforms and the supply of cars increased, the companies started scaling back on incentives.&nbsp;

Some drivers say they are forced to work for up to 16 hours a day to make enough to pay interest on their loans, meet expenses and provide for their families.

Uber should consider increasing fares to make the situation sustainable, said one Uber driver who has been operating on the platform for three years, and who did not join the strike. He did not wish to be named.&nbsp;

He said some drivers stayed off the roads because they feared they would be targeted by those striking if they continued working. 
&nbsp;

Hundreds of drivers for ride-hailing giant Uber and its local rival Ola went on strike in Delhi and Mumbai, on Monday, demanding higher fares to meet rising fuel costs that are eating away at their incomes.

Hundreds of drivers for ride-hailing giant Uber and its local rival Ola went on strike in Delhi and Mumbai, on Monday, demanding higher fares to meet rising fuel costs that are eating away at their incomes. Fuel prices in India have risen more than 20 per cent since the start of the year but drivers say fares have not grown at the same rate, making it difficult for them to meet expenses despite working longer hours. "The companies don`t understand the issues drivers face ... they have reduced fares when they should be paying a higher rate," said Sunil Borkar, secretary at Mumbai taxi drivers` union Maharashtra Rajya Rashtriya Kamgar Sangh. Borkar said there have been calls from some drivers for an indefinite strike in Mumbai until demands for higher fares are met. He was unsure about how many drivers would eventually join the strike, he added. Uber said in a statement: "We regret the disruption caused to our rider and driver-partner community, due to a small group of individuals." It is committed to ensuring that drivers "continue to access a stable income", it added. Ola did not respond to an email seeking comments. In both cities, passengers said they had to wait longer than normal for Uber and Ola cars. At a protest outside Uber`s office in Mumbai, dozens of drivers held up placards with messages including "Uber go back" and "Ola is the biggest thief" while shouting slogans like "down with Uber", according to a Reuters witness. One protestor was seen angrily beating a poster of Ola`s founder Bhavish Aggarwal with a flip-flop. Some drivers who were still ferrying passengers were pulled up by protesters and asked to stop working, the witness said. In Delhi, the strike by drivers was exacerbated by a separate stoppage by fuel pump owners demanding the city government cut the price of petrol and diesel in line with neighbouring states. The rising cost of fuel, caused by higher oil prices and a weak rupee, is the latest setback for drivers already operating on thin margins. Their incomes have plunged over the past two years after Uber and Ola cut incentives to boost profitability. When incentives were high many drivers quit well-paying jobs and took out loans to buy cars in the hope of higher earnings. As more drivers joined the platforms and the supply of cars increased, the companies started scaling back on incentives. Some drivers say they are forced to work for up to 16 hours a day to make enough to pay interest on their loans, meet expenses and provide for their families. Uber should consider increasing fares to make the situation sustainable, said one Uber driver who has been operating on the platform for three years, and who did not join the strike. He did not wish to be named. He said some drivers stayed off the roads because they feared they would be targeted by those striking if they continued working.

Uber, Ola drivers strike in Mumbai and Delhi, demand higher fares

Uber is now working towards a way to determine if a customer <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uber-may-use-artificial-intelligence-to-detect-if-a-customer-is-drunk-144016">booking a ride is drunk or not</a>. A patent application filed by the company this week outlines the use of artificial intelligence to identify the current state of a customer.&nbsp;

The system identifies how you would typically use the Uber app so that it can determine unusual behaviour.&nbsp;

If the customer seems to appear intoxicated, the ridesharing app could deny rides to them or may match them with other drivers who have the right training to deal with such a situation.&nbsp;

Uber may even monitor drivers who pick up inebriated passengers as instances of sexual assault where passengers were found to be drunk are on the rise globally. &nbsp;

Is Uber indicating drunk driving?

The success rate of such a technology seems unclear as of now. The use of this technology and the consequent results are put to question since Uber has the authority to deny the ride to the drunk customer. Uber presents itself as an alternative to drunk driving but is seeking technology that would enable drivers to ignore such passengers - who may not have any other means to get home.&nbsp;

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 individuals in the United States die every day in drunk driving accidents. This means someone dies every 51 minutes because someone is driving under the influence of alcohol.&nbsp;

The sole purpose of booking a cab is to get you home when you are not in the condition to drive yourself - it could be because of alcohol consumption or it could be because you are tired etc. Regardless, if Uber is given the authority to deny a ride to a person in need what will they do? If someone is wasted, are they running a risk of potential danger to life?

Customer information abuse

There could also be a possible risk of assaults involved. Uber, in the past, has been subject to sexual assault allegations whose drivers have taken advantage of drunk passengers and, now, the fact that drivers will have information about the state of their customers perhaps may put their safety into question. As per reports, at least 103 Uber drivers in the US have been accused of sexually assaulting or abusing passengers in the last four years, with many of the police reports noting that the passengers were inebriated or had been drinking before getting into the car.

The ridesharing company, in the public eye, got their act together after the resignation of the scandal-ridden co-founder Travis Kalanick and the appointment of Dara Khosrowshahi as CEO last year. However, there has been some dreary incidents regarding customer data. &nbsp;

Uber’s notorious “God View” tool, for example, which showed the location of users who had requested a car, was abused by employees to track the location of their exes as well as monitor celebrities and politicians, according to an October 2016 court verdict by Uber’s former forensic investigator.

There is no confirmation that Uber’s patent application is anything other than a plan in process at the moment. There have been no comments by the company regarding the same.&nbsp;

A system like this could be terribly misused, violate privacy and could be a serious threat to the people. This is still at a nascent stage, but it must be understood that even though the concept behind this idea could be to prevent the drivers to go through the odious situation of dropping back drunk passengers, it could seriously pan out in the opposite direction for the them as well as the company and pose some grave backlash.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Uber is now going to use artificial intelligence to detect whether a passenger is too drunk to ride a cab or not

Uber is now working towards a way to determine if a customer booking a ride is drunk or not. A patent application filed by the company this week outlines the use of artificial intelligence to identify the current state of a customer. The system identifies how you would typically use the Uber app so that it can determine unusual behaviour. If the customer seems to appear intoxicated, the ridesharing app could deny rides to them or may match them with other drivers who have the right training to deal with such a situation. Uber may even monitor drivers who pick up inebriated passengers as instances of sexual assault where passengers were found to be drunk are on the rise globally. Is Uber indicating drunk driving? The success rate of such a technology seems unclear as of now. The use of this technology and the consequent results are put to question since Uber has the authority to deny the ride to the drunk customer. Uber presents itself as an alternative to drunk driving but is seeking technology that would enable drivers to ignore such passengers - who may not have any other means to get home. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 individuals in the United States die every day in drunk driving accidents. This means someone dies every 51 minutes because someone is driving under the influence of alcohol. The sole purpose of booking a cab is to get you home when you are not in the condition to drive yourself - it could be because of alcohol consumption or it could be because you are tired etc. Regardless, if Uber is given the authority to deny a ride to a person in need what will they do? If someone is wasted, are they running a risk of potential danger to life? Customer information abuse There could also be a possible risk of assaults involved. Uber, in the past, has been subject to sexual assault allegations whose drivers have taken advantage of drunk passengers and, now, the fact that drivers will have information about the state of their customers perhaps may put their safety into question. As per reports, at least 103 Uber drivers in the US have been accused of sexually assaulting or abusing passengers in the last four years, with many of the police reports noting that the passengers were inebriated or had been drinking before getting into the car. The ridesharing company, in the public eye, got their act together after the resignation of the scandal-ridden co-founder Travis Kalanick and the appointment of Dara Khosrowshahi as CEO last year. However, there has been some dreary incidents regarding customer data. Uber’s notorious “God View” tool, for example, which showed the location of users who had requested a car, was abused by employees to track the location of their exes as well as monitor celebrities and politicians, according to an October 2016 court verdict by Uber’s former forensic investigator. There is no confirmation that Uber’s patent application is anything other than a plan in process at the moment. There have been no comments by the company regarding the same. A system like this could be terribly misused, violate privacy and could be a serious threat to the people. This is still at a nascent stage, but it must be understood that even though the concept behind this idea could be to prevent the drivers to go through the odious situation of dropping back drunk passengers, it could seriously pan out in the opposite direction for the them as well as the company and pose some grave backlash. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Uber's latest AI bid could lead to some serious consequences

Uber is now going to use artificial intelligence to detect whether a passenger is too drunk to ride a cab or not. The company has now applied for a patent for a system which will be able to "predict a users state,"&nbsp;reports said.

Uber has been curious about its drunk users, and are applying for a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a system that would use machine learning to determine how intoxicated a passenger might be.

While the patent limits itself to a dry discussion of ‘user state,’ it seems that what Uber is really interested in is detecting the difference between users of sound mind and users who are under the influence.

The system identifies how you would typically use the Uber app so that it can determine unusual behaviour.&nbsp;

The system relies on an algorithm to weigh a variety of factors, including typos, how precisely a user clicks on links and buttons, walking speed, and how long it takes to request a ride. The time of day, and where a ride is requested may also be considered, reports say. So say, for example, you are booking a ride on a Saturday night at 1 am&nbsp;and it takes you over 10-15 minutes, Uber will be able to detect the unusual behaviour.&nbsp;

If the customer seems to appear intoxicated, the ridesharing app could deny rides to them or may match them with other drivers who have the right training to deal with such a situation.&nbsp;

Uber may even monitor drivers who pick up inebriated passengers as instances of sexual assault where passengers were found to be drunk are on the rise globally.&nbsp;

The success rate of such a technology seems unclear as of now.

The company has been curious about its drunk users, applying for a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a system that would use machine learning to determine how intoxicated a passenger will be

Uber is now going to use artificial intelligence to detect whether a passenger is too drunk to ride a cab or not. The company has now applied for a patent for a system which will be able to "predict a users state," reports said. Uber has been curious about its drunk users, and are applying for a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a system that would use machine learning to determine how intoxicated a passenger might be. While the patent limits itself to a dry discussion of ‘user state,’ it seems that what Uber is really interested in is detecting the difference between users of sound mind and users who are under the influence. The system identifies how you would typically use the Uber app so that it can determine unusual behaviour. The system relies on an algorithm to weigh a variety of factors, including typos, how precisely a user clicks on links and buttons, walking speed, and how long it takes to request a ride. The time of day, and where a ride is requested may also be considered, reports say. So say, for example, you are booking a ride on a Saturday night at 1 am and it takes you over 10-15 minutes, Uber will be able to detect the unusual behaviour. If the customer seems to appear intoxicated, the ridesharing app could deny rides to them or may match them with other drivers who have the right training to deal with such a situation. Uber may even monitor drivers who pick up inebriated passengers as instances of sexual assault where passengers were found to be drunk are on the rise globally. The success rate of such a technology seems unclear as of now.

Uber may use artificial intelligence to detect if a customer is drunk

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