Uber Technologies Inc. failed to persuade a judge to approve a settlement offering 1.6 million California drivers an average of $1.08 each to dispense with alleged labor-code violations that their lawyer earlier claimed might have been worth billions of dollars. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maren Nelson issued a tentative ruling rejecting a deal aimed at resolving one of the dozen-plus U.S. lawsuits challenging the company’s contractor-based business model.
Category: Uber
Uber’s – Greyball’ Draws Ire for Blocking Government Stings
An Uber Technologies Inc. program used to counteract government officials attempting to conduct “sting” operations is drawing scrutiny amid a flurry of scandals plaguing the ride-hailing company. Uber said the effort is meant to enforce violations of its terms of service agreement that customers accept when they sign up to use the app.
Uber Loses Court Bid to Block English Test for Drivers
Uber Technologies Inc. lost a ruling over London transport rules that require language tests for drivers, which could keep 40,000 people from joining the industry over the next three years. Judge John Mitting ruled in favor of Transport for London Friday, saying that it is reasonable for “drivers to demonstrate a level of competence in written and spoken English.”
One Startup Builds $1 Billion Business Out of 15-Cent Bike Rides
Walk around the streets of Beijing these days and the sidewalks are thronged with yellow and orange bicycles. These are the weapons of choice in one of the strangest, most colorful battles in the technology world.
UPDATE 1-Uber asks exec to resign for not disclosing sexual harassment allegation
Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] has asked a senior executive to leave the company for failing to disclose a sexual harassment allegation stemming from his tenure at Alphabet Inc’s Google, an Uber spokeswoman said on Monday. Earlier this month, a female former engineer at Uber said in a widely read blog post that managers and human resources officers at the company had not punished her manager after she reported his unwanted sexual advances, and even threatened her with a poor performance review.
Uber’s Engineering Head Departs After Harassment Claims Surface
Uber Technologies Inc. executive Amit Singhal resigned after the ride-hailing company learned of sexual harassment allegations from his previous job at Google. Uber said Singhal stepped down just a month after joining the company as senior vice president of engineering, where he oversaw software development.
Baidu Needs to Speed Up the Future After That Uber Boost: Gadfly
If it weren’t for the CEO of Uber Technologies Inc. being pragmatic about his China business and selling to Didi Chuxing last year, Baidu wouldn’t have been able to swap its shares in Uber China for those of the nation’s dominant ride-hailing provider. That three-way trade and other income reaped 1.796 billion yuan for the search-engine giant in the fourth quarter and was the primary reason for Baidu beating earnings estimates.
Alphabet’s Waymo Alleges Uber Stole Self-Driving Secrets
It took Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo seven years to design and build a laser-scanning system to guide its self-driving cars. Uber Technologies Inc. allegedly did it in nine months.
Alphabet’s Waymo Sues Uber Over Self-Driving Car Secrets
The judge’s gavel is seen in court room 422 of the New York Supreme Court at 60 Centre Street February 3, 2012. Picture taken February 3, 2012.
Alphabet’s Waymo Sues Uber for Stealing Self-Driving Patents
Alphabet Inc.’s self-driving car business, Waymo, has filed suit against Uber Technologies Inc. for stealing trade secrets in the development of autonomous cars.
Uber Criticized by Venture Backers Over Harassment Claims
A pair of venture capital investors in Uber Technologies Inc. criticized the company for tapping insiders to conduct an investigation into sexual harassment and discrimination claims by a former employee. Mitch and Freada Kapor, spouses and investing partners at Kapor Capital, said they have been unsuccessful in their attempts to convince Uber behind the scenes to prioritize diversity issues.
Uber Criticized by Venture Backers Over Harassment Claims
A pair of venture capital investors in Uber Technologies Inc. criticized the company for tapping insiders to conduct an investigation into sexual harassment and discrimination claims by a former employee. Mitch and Freada Kapor, spouses and investing partners at Kapor Capital, said they have been unsuccessful in their attempts to convince Uber behind the scenes to prioritize diversity issues.
Uber Taps Eric Holder to Investigate Discrimination Claims
Uber Technologies Inc. appointed former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to lead an independent review into claims of sexual harassment by a former software engineer. Arianna Huffington, head of human resources Liane Hornsey and Angela Padilla, the company’s associate general counsel, will also participate in the investigation, Uber Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick wrote in a memo to employees on Monday.
Uber Investigating Sexual Discrimination Claims by Ex-Engineer
Uber Technologies Inc. is looking into allegations from a former engineer of sexual harassment, a new accusation that’s likely to draw renewed attention to the lack of women in Silicon Valley’s technical ranks. Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick said the the ride-hailing company will conduct an internal investigation in response to a blog post on Sunday by Susan Fowler.
Uber Investigating Sexual Discrimination Claims by Ex-Engineer
Uber Technologies Inc. is looking into allegations from a former engineer of sexual harassment, a new accusation that’s likely to draw renewed attention to the lack of women in Silicon Valley’s technical ranks. Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick said the the ride-hailing company will conduct an internal investigation in response to a blog post on Sunday by Susan Fowler.
Uber CEO Leaves Trump’s Advisory Council Amid Controversy
Uber Technologies Inc. Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick is stepping down from President Donald Trump’s business advisory council after criticism from customers and drivers. Kalanick’s participation on the council, along with more than a dozen other U.S. executives, prompted blow-back on social media after Trump’s controversial executive order on immigration.
Uber CEO quits Trump’s business advisory group: sources
Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump’s business advisory group, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Kalanick’s resignation comes after days of criticism about the executive’s decision to work with the president.
Uber Rival Taps Investors With Proof Rides Can Rake in Profits
To convince investors to finance a pan-European war against Uber Technologies Inc., a French ride-hailing app 50 times smaller has a one-word pitch: profit. Chauffeur-Prive is near closing a 50-million-euro fundraising round to expand out of Paris into the rest of Europe, with the promise it can extend a five-year streak of growth while turning a profit, as bigger rivals lose money.
Lyft Cuts Fares 1 Percent, Plans To Add 100 New Cities
Lyft Inc., the No. 2 U.S. ride-hailing company, plans to boost the number of cities it covers to 300 from 200 by the end of 2016 while cutting prices to attract more customers.
Uber Wants Court Stamp on Arbitration Win as Message to Drivers
Uber Technologies Inc. is asking a California judge to confirm what it says is the first ruling by an arbitrator denying a driver’s bid to be treated as and an employee. The company is seeking a court stamp of approval on the decision rejecting the claim that the driver qualified as an employee rather than an independent contractor under California law.
Uber to Pay $20 Million to Settle FTC Suit Over Driver Pay
Uber Technologies Inc. said it agreed to pay $20 million to settle a U.S. Federal Trade Commission lawsuit over driver compensation claims and its auto leasing program. The FTC sued the San Francisco-based ride-hailing startup Thursday, saying Uber made false, misleading or unsubstantiated claims about how much drivers could earn on the service.
Indonesia’s First Billion-Dollar Startup Races to Kill Cash
Go-Jek became Indonesia’s first billion-dollar startup by offering ride-hailing services that became ubiquitous in the country. Now the company is planning a second act in digital payments amid rising competition from local rival Grab and Uber Technologies Inc. Go-Jek, backed by Sequoia Capital, KKR & Co.
Obama Alum David Plouffe Joins Zuckerberg’s Philanthropic Group
David Plouffe, President Barack Obama’s former campaign manager, will lead policy and advocacy for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the philanthropic organization created by Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. Plouffe, who has been a full-time adviser for Uber Technologies Inc., will step away from his day-to-day duties, but he’ll remain a non-voting Uber board member, the ride-hailing company said.
Uber Hopes to Appease Cities With Tool Showing Traffic Patterns
Uber Technologies Inc. is hoping to win brownie points with some cities by opening up a small sample of its ridership data. The San Francisco ride-hailing company introduced a traffic dashboard called Uber Movement, saying the tool is designed to help city leaders, urban planners and civic communities.
Uber Ships Self-Driving Cars to Arizona After California Ban
A few days of regulatory tussles were enough for Uber Technologies Inc. to pull its fleet of self-driving cars from the streets of San Francisco and send them instead to friendlier territory in Arizona. The California Department of Motor Vehicles banned Uber’s self-driving cars from San Francisco on Wednesday, just days after they first deployed.
Tesla Gets a Jump on Google, Uber, Ford in Race to Autonomous
There was, in hindsight, a clear element of risk to Tesla Motors Inc.’s decision to install Autopilot hardware in every car coming off the production line since October 2014. It paid a price, with federal regulators probing the deadly crash of a Model S while in driver-assist mode and critics slamming Tesla for rolling the technology out too soon.
Uber Mideast Rival Valued at $1 Billion After Funding Round
Dubai-based ride-hailing app Careem Networks FZ raised $350 million from investors including Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten Inc and Saudi Telecom Co., valuing it at about $1 billion. Government controlled STC, as the company is known, will invest $100 million for a 10 percent stake in Careem as part of a $500 million fundraising round, it said Sunday.
Uber Mideast Rival Valued at $1 Billion After Fundraising Round
Dubai-based ride-hailing app Careem Networks FZ raised $350 million from investors including Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten Inc and Saudi Telecom Co., valuing it at about $1 billion. Government controlled STC, as the company is known, will invest $100 million for a 10 percent stake in Careem as part of a $500 million fundraising round, it said Sunday.
California AG Threatens Action Against Uber’s Self-Driving Cars
California Attorney General Kamala Harris has told Uber Technologies Inc. to pull its self-driving cars from San Francisco’s streets or it will seek a court order forcing it do so, saying the ride-hailing company needs a permit under autonomous vehicle regulations. If Uber doesn’t comply with the state’s rules, “as have 20 other companies,” the attorney general’s office will ask a judge to require the self-driving cars be taken off the roads, the attorney general’s office wrote in a letter Friday to Uber.