Uber victim stepped suddenly in front of self-driving car Police say a video from the Uber self-driving car that struck and killed a woman on Sunday shows her moving in front of it suddenly, a factor that investigators are likely to focus on as they assess the performance of the technology in the first pedestrian fatality involving an autonomous vehicle. (Ad Age)
Uber won't renew Calif. license to test AVs Uber will not renew its permit to test self-driving cars in California following the fatal crash involving one of its vehicles in Tempe, Ariz. The company suspended its public road testing in Arizona, California, Pittsburgh and Toronto immediately after the crash. In a letter to Uber sentTuesday, the California Department of Motor Vehicles said the company had not indicated it would renew its testing license when it expiresMarch 31, the San Francisco Chronicle first reported.(Automotive News)
Lawyers for Uber victim’s family say issue is ‘resolved’ A law firm hired by the family of an Arizona woman who died after being struck by a self-driving Uber Technologies Inc. vehicle said Thursday the issue “has been resolved.” The Uber vehicle, which was in self-driving mode but had a human operator behind the wheel, hit 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg while she was walking her bike outside of a crosswalk March 18, Tempe police said. She ultimately died from her injuries.(Wall Street Journal)
Uber Loss Uber has lost another big case at the European Union's top court. The court ruled this morning that a French court was within its rights to fine Uber for running an illegal transport service (specifically its UberPop service, which used regular people as drivers rather than licensed professionals.) Uber has consistently tried to pitch itself as a tech platform rather than a transport service, a status that comes with different regulatory burdens. Fortune
Uber pays nine figures for Brooklyn-based Jump Bikes Uber is betting on e-bikes. The ride-hail giant concluded a months-long courtship when it announced its acquisition of Jump Bikes, the operator of an on-demand pedal-assist-bicycle sharing service. Uber began partnering with Jump in January, when the Brooklyn-based company launched its bike service in San Francisco as part of a dockless pilot program. The battery-powered e-bikes became available for use through both Jump's app and Uber's. (Crain's New York Business)
Coming soon to the Uber app: bikes, rental cars Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is in Washington, DC to make a wide-ranging announcement on Uber’s plans to integrate a variety of new transportation options to its app, including bikes, car-sharing vehicles, and public transportation like buses and trains. Uber will also share more of its data on traffic patterns and curbside usage with cities in an effort to become “true partners to cities for the long term,” Khosrowshahi said.(The Verge)
Scoop launches carpooling service in Portland Scoop is bringing its carpooling service to Portland, Ore. The San Francisco-based company offers an app that lets users carpool to work with colleagues and neighbors, matching them based on algorithms. Scoop focuses on partnering with large employers and city organizations; in Portland, it announced Oregon Health Science University as an early partner.(GeekWire)
Uber CEO says the company is on track for a 2019 IPO Uber is on track to go public in 2019, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said Wednesday. "We're in a good position in terms of the company's profile, in terms of profitability and margins continue to get better," Khosrowshahi said at the Code Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. (CNBC)
Uber's next battle with Lyft could be over the electric scooters that are slowly taking over the country Ride-hailing giant Uber is looking to get in on the scooter business, Axios reportedThursday. The scooter companies say that these simple vehicles are a cheap, efficient way to provide so-called “last mile” transportation solutions, for trips that are too long to walk but too short to warrant a car ride. In that sense, this move makes sense for Uber — and will put it right up against its archrival Lyft in a burgeoning new market. Uber confirmed to Axios the company is applying for a scooter permit in its hometown of San Francisco. (Business Insider)
Uber files confidentially for IPO Two days after Lyft submitted paperwork to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an early 2019 initial public offering, Uber has done the same, per The Wall Street Journal. The nearly 10-year-old business reportedly expects to debut on the stock exchange at a $120 billion valuation. (TechCrunch)