But the technology behind Uber cannot overcome the fact that every Uber ride hinges on getting into a vehicle with someone you know next to nothing about. When bad things do happen on a ride, drivers and passengers can speak with a team of Uber customer service agents, internally called investigators, to describe what happened and seek help. Because police reports can puncture Uber’s carefully crafted safety image — and open the company up to more lawsuits and responsibility. Depositions detailing Uber’s safety procedures and made public last month in an ongoing federal lawsuit in San Francisco paint a picture of a company shirking its touted commitment to safety. (Uber has denied wrongdoing and is contesting the case, which is scheduled to go to trial in September.)

Source: New York Times December 22, 2021 23:26 UTC