Uber
{{Short description|American ridesharing and delivery company}}
{{Other uses|Über{{!}}Über|Uber (disambiguation)}}
{{Pp-pc1}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Uber Technologies, Inc.
| logo = Uber logo 2018.svg
| image = Uber offices, Mission Bay (July 2020) -2.jpg
| image_caption = Headquarters in Mission Bay, San Francisco
| former_name = Ubercab (2009–2011)
| type = Public
| traded_as = {{ubl|{{NYSE|UBER}}|DJTA component|S&P 500 component}}
| industry = {{ubl|Transportation |Mobility as a service}}
| founded = {{Start date and age|2009|3}}
| founders = {{ubl|Garrett Camp |Travis Kalanick}}
| hq_location = {{nowrap|San Francisco, California, U.S.}}
| area_served = 70 countries and 10,500 cities worldwide
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Ronald Sugar (chairman)|Dara Khosrowshahi (CEO)}}
| services = {{Unbulleted list|Taxi|Food delivery|Package delivery|Freight transport}}
| revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|43.98 billion|link=yes}} (2024)
| operating_income = {{increase}} {{US$|2.799 billion}} (2024)
| net_income = {{increase}} {{US$|9.856 billion}} (2024)
| assets = {{increase}} {{US$|51.24 billion}} (2024)
| equity = {{increase}} {{US$|21.56 billion}} (2024)
| num_employees = 31,100 (2024)
| subsid = {{Unbulleted list|Careem (2020–2023)|Cornershop|Drizly (2021–2024)|Postmates|Uber Carshare (2022–2024)|Uber Eats}}
| footnotes = {{cite web | url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1543151/000154315125000008/uber-20241231.htm | title=Uber Technologies, Inc. 2024 Form 10-K Annual Report | publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |date=February 14, 2025}}
| website = {{URL|https://uber.com}}
}}
File:Uber taxi in Tomsk 01.jpg
Uber Technologies, Inc. is an American multinational transportation company that provides ride-hailing services, courier services, food delivery, and freight transport. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and operates in approximately 70 countries and 15,000 cities worldwide. It is the largest ridesharing company worldwide with over 150 million monthly active users and 6 million active drivers and couriers. It coordinates an average of 28 million trips per day, and has coordinated 47 billion trips since its inception in 2010.{{Cite press release |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240207898706/en/Uber-Announces-Results-for-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2023 |title=Uber Announces Results for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 |publisher=Business Wire |date=February 7, 2024 }} In 2023, the company had a take rate (revenue as a percentage of gross bookings) of 28.7% for mobility services and 18.3% for food delivery.
History
{{For timeline}}
File:Travis Kalanick LeWeb.jpg, former CEO of Uber, in 2013]]
In 2009, Garrett Camp, a co-founder of StumbleUpon, came up with the idea to create Uber to make it easier and cheaper to procure direct transportation. Camp and Travis Kalanick had spent $800 hiring a private driver on New Year's Eve, which they deemed excessive, and Camp was also inspired by his difficulty in finding a taxi on a snowy night in Paris.{{cite news | url=https://archive.canadianbusiness.com/lists-and-rankings/richest-people/2016-garrett-camp-uber/ | title=Co-founding Uber made Calgary-born Garrett Camp a billionaire | first=Alec | last=Scott | work=Canadian Business | date=November 19, 2015 | access-date=February 7, 2023 | archive-date=June 5, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605231341/https://archive.canadianbusiness.com/lists-and-rankings/richest-people/2016-garrett-camp-uber/ | url-status=dead }}{{cite news | title=All Hail The Uber Man! How Sharp-Elbowed Salesman Travis Kalanick Became Silicon Valley's Newest Star | first=Alyson | last=Shontell | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-travis-kalanick-bio-2014-1 | work=Business Insider | date=January 11, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908170324/https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-travis-kalanick-bio-2014-1 | archive-date=September 8, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} The prototype of the mobile app was built by Camp and his friends, Oscar Salazar and Conrad Whelan, with Kalanick as the "mega advisor" to the company.
In February 2010, Ryan Graves became the first Uber employee; he was named chief executive officer (CEO) in May 2010.{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Kate |date=2019-05-24 |title=Uber's first employee Ryan Graves resigns from board |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/24/ubers-first-employee-ryan-graves-resigns-from-board/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} In December 2010, Kalanick succeeded Graves as CEO and Graves became the chief operating officer.{{cite news | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/14/profile-of-ubers-ryan-graves.html | title=How Ryan Graves became Uber's first CEO | first=Anita | last=Balakrishnan | work=CNBC | date=August 10, 2017}}
Following a beta launch in May 2010, Uber's services and mobile app launched publicly in San Francisco in 2011.{{cite news |last=Lagorio-Chafkin |first=Christine |date=January 15, 2014 |title=How Uber Is Going To Hire 1,000 People This Year |work=Inc. |url=https://www.inc.com/christine-lagorio/how-uber-hires.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118133339/https://www.inc.com/christine-lagorio/how-uber-hires.html |archive-date=November 18, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}
{{cite news |last=Huet |first=Ellen |date=December 11, 2014|title=Uber's Global Expansion in Five Seconds |work=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/12/11/ubers-global-expansion/ |url-status=live| access-date=September 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210003159/https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/12/11/ubers-global-expansion/ |archive-date=February 10, 2018|df=mdy-all}} Originally, the application only allowed users to hail a black luxury car and the price was approximately 1.5 times that of a taxi.{{cite news|last=McAlone |first=Nathan |date=February 10, 2016 |title=This is how Uber used to look when it first started out – and how it's changed over time |work=Business Insider|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ubers-design-history-2010-2016-2016-2/ |url-status=live|access-date=September 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825143136/https://www.businessinsider.com/ubers-design-history-2010-2016-2016-2/ |archive-date=August 25, 2018|df=mdy-all}}{{Cite web |last=Kircher |first=Madison Malone |date=2017-03-02 |title=So What Are That Uber Driver and Travis Kalanick Arguing About Exactly? |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/03/uber-driver-and-travis-kalanick-argued-over-dropping-fares.html |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Intelligencer |language=en}} In 2011, the company changed its name from UberCab to Uber after complaints from San Francisco taxicab operators.{{cite news | title=New York cab fleecing holds lesson on data versus intuition | url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/new-york-cab-fleecing-holds-lesson-on-data-versus-intuition-1.443982 | first=Danny | last=O'Brien | newspaper=The Irish Times | date=January 13, 2012 | access-date=September 8, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129130738/https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/new-york-cab-fleecing-holds-lesson-on-data-versus-intuition-1.443982 | archive-date=November 29, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} Kalanick believed that in addition to efficiency, Uber offered elegance because all drivers had fancy black cars. He did not feel that regular cars would be attractive.
The company's early hires included a nuclear physicist, a computational neuroscientist, and a machinery expert who worked on predicting arrival times for Uber's cars more accurately than Google APIs.{{cite news | title=Uber Out-Maths Google on NYC ETAs | first=Sarah | last=Lacy | author-link=Sarah Lacy | url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/06/15/uber-out-maths-google-on-nyc-etas/ | work=TechCrunch | date=June 15, 2011 | archive-date=February 26, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226133925/https://techcrunch.com/2011/06/15/uber-out-maths-google-on-nyc-etas/ | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}} In April 2012, Uber launched a service in Chicago, whereby users were able to request a regular taxi or an Uber driver via its mobile app.{{cite news | first=Leena | last=Rao | title=Uber Experiments With Lower-Priced Taxis in Chicago Through Newly Launched Labs Group, 'Garage' | url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/04/18/uber-experiments-with-lower-priced-taxis-in-chicago-through-newly-launched-labs-group-garage/ | work=TechCrunch | date=April 18, 2012 | access-date=June 25, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122072007/https://techcrunch.com/2012/04/18/uber-experiments-with-lower-priced-taxis-in-chicago-through-newly-launched-labs-group-garage/ | archive-date=January 22, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | title=Uber tackles Taxis in Chicago with Uber Garage experiment | first=Terrence | last=O'Brien | url=https://www.engadget.com/2012/04/18/uber-tackles-taxis-in-chicago-with-uber-garage-experiment/ | work=Engadget | date=April 18, 2012 | access-date=February 26, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226131420/https://www.engadget.com/2012/04/18/uber-tackles-taxis-in-chicago-with-uber-garage-experiment/ | archive-date=February 26, 2017 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}
When Wingz, Inc. launched in 2011 with the first ridesharing website in the world using regular drivers, Kalanick felt that Wingz was illegal and contacted authorities to stop regular drivers from giving rides.{{cite news | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=550X5OZVk7Y | title= Travis Kalanick of Uber minute 1:08:00 Kalanick said rideshare was illegal | work=This Week in Startups | first=Jason | last=Canacalis |date= 16 August 2011 | url-access=subscription}}{{cite news | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQa3HboAiQo | title= Startups News Panel with Uber Investor Jason Calacanis minute 50:50 Wingz known as Tickengo back then mentioned and 1:01:50 Airbnb for rides won't survive | work=This Week in Startups | first=Jason | last=Canacalis |date= 13 October 2012 | url-access=subscription}}
In April 2013, after Wingz, Inc. fought to become legal and obtain the first legal ridesharing license in the world, Uber copied this model and added regular drivers with personal vehicles to the UberX platform instead of only commercially-licensed vehicles, but subject to a background check, insurance, registration, and vehicle standards.{{cite news
|url = https://techcrunch.com/2013/04/12/uber-ride-share-almost-everywhere/
|title = Uber Moves Deeper Into Ride Sharing, Promises to Roll Out Services
|publisher = TechCrunch
|author = Ryan Lawler
|date = 12 April 2013
|url = https://www.scribd.com/document/490448604/uber-policy-whitepaper
|title = Uber Policy White Paper 1.0: Addressing Regulatory Ambiguity Around Ridesharing Apps
|publisher = Scribd.com
|author = Travis Kalanick
|date = 12 April 2013
|url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204005004578082630070372690
|title = Taxi Apps Face Bumpy Road
|publisher = Wall Street Journal
|author = Geoffrey Fowler, Wall Street Journal Staff Writer
|date = 28 October 2012
|accessdate =2012-10-28
}} In July 2012, Uber had introduced UberX, a cheaper option that allowed drivers to use non-luxury vehicles, but still subject to having a California Public Utilities commercial license.{{cite news |title=Uber opens doors in D.C. |first=Fritz |last=Hahn |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-gurus/post/dc-council-expected-to-approve-uber-act/2012/12/04/574a0306-3e38-11e2-ae43-cf491b837f7b_blog.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=December 4, 2012 | access-date=February 20, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222052759/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-gurus/post/dc-council-expected-to-approve-uber-act/2012/12/04/574a0306-3e38-11e2-ae43-cf491b837f7b_blog.html | archive-date=February 22, 2017 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ubers-history |title=The history of how Uber went from the most feared startup in the world to its massive IPO |last2=Leskin |first1=Avery | last1=Hartmans | first2=Paige |website=Business Insider| date=May 18, 2019}} By December 2013, the service was operating in 65 cities.{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.com/2013/12/19/uber-taxi-app-fit-santa-barbara/|title=Uber Taxi App a Fit for Santa Barbara? |first=Kelsey Brugger | last=Thu |date=December 19, 2013 |website=Santa Barbara Independent |language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-10}}
In December 2013, USA Today named Uber its tech company of the year.{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/wolff/2013/12/22/the-success-of-app-based-car-service-uber/4141669/ | title=Wolff: The tech company of the year is Uber | last=Wolff | first=Michael | author-link=Michael Wolff (journalist) | work=USA Today | date=December 22, 2013 | access-date=September 17, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907081132/https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/wolff/2013/12/22/the-success-of-app-based-car-service-uber/4141669/ | archive-date=September 7, 2017 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}
In August 2014, Uber launched a shared transport service in the San Francisco Bay Area{{cite news | title=Uber Opens Up UberPool To All San Francisco Users | first=Ryan | last=Lawler | url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/09/02/uberpool-launch-for-real/ | work=TechCrunch | date=September 2, 2014 | access-date=June 25, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423154432/https://techcrunch.com/2014/09/02/uberpool-launch-for-real/ | archive-date=April 23, 2017 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{Cite web| url=https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-lyft-line-uberpool-20140805-story.html |title=Lyft and Uber launch carpool-like services in San Francisco| date=2014-08-06| website=Los Angeles Times| url-access=subscription |language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-10}} and launched Uber Eats, a food delivery service.{{cite news | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/why-uber-launched-uber-eats-2016-3 | title=Uber's GrubHub killer is finally in the US – here's the inside story on its big bet on food | first=Biz | last=Carson | work=Business Insider | date=March 2, 2016 | access-date=September 8, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825143129/https://www.businessinsider.com/why-uber-launched-uber-eats-2016-3 | archive-date=August 25, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/01/20/ubers-standalone-food-delivery-app-is-coming-to-the-u-s/ | title=Uber's Standalone Food Delivery App Is Coming To The U.S. | last=Dickey | first=Megan Rose | work=TechCrunch | date=January 20, 2016 | access-date=December 19, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707154341/https://techcrunch.com/2016/01/20/ubers-standalone-food-delivery-app-is-coming-to-the-u-s/ | archive-date=July 7, 2017 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}}
In August 2016, facing tough competition, Uber sold its operations in China to DiDi in exchange for an 18% stake in DiDi.{{Cite magazine | url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/didi-chuxing-china-startups-uber | title=Didi Chuxing took on Uber and won. Now it's taking on the world | last=Crabtree | first=James | magazine=Wired | date=February 9, 2018 | access-date=October 10, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011053445/https://www.wired.co.uk/article/didi-chuxing-china-startups-uber | archive-date=October 11, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}} DiDi agreed to invest $1 billion in Uber.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/26/technology/how-uber-lost-more-than-1-billion-in-the-first-half-of-2016.html | title=How Uber Lost More Than $1 Billion in the First Half of 2016 | first=Mike | last=Issac | work=The New York Times | date=August 26, 2016 | url-access=subscription | access-date=February 28, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223193626/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/26/technology/how-uber-lost-more-than-1-billion-in-the-first-half-of-2016.html | archive-date=December 23, 2016 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} Uber had started operations in China in 2014, under the name 优步 (Yōubù).{{cite news | last1=Kirby | first1=William | title=The Real Reason Uber Is Giving Up in China | url=https://hbr.org/2016/08/the-real-reason-uber-is-giving-up-in-china | work=Harvard Business Review | date=2 August 2016 | access-date=January 22, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122144952/https://hbr.org/2016/08/the-real-reason-uber-is-giving-up-in-china | archive-date=January 22, 2019 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}}
In 2016, Uber acquired Ottomotto, a self-driving truck company founded by Anthony Levandowski, for $625 million. Levandowski, previously employed by Waymo, allegedly founded Ottomotto using trade secrets he stole from Waymo. Uber settled a lawsuit regarding the use of such intellectual property and reached a deal to use Waymo's technology for its freight transport operations.{{cite news | url=https://www.npr.org/2018/07/31/634331593/uber-parks-its-self-driving-truck-project-saying-it-will-push-for-autonomous-car | title=Uber Parks Its Self-Driving Truck Project, Saying It Will Push For Autonomous Cars | first=Bill | last=Chappell | work=NPR | date=July 31, 2018 | archive-date=August 8, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808043321/https://www.npr.org/2018/07/31/634331593/uber-parks-its-self-driving-truck-project-saying-it-will-push-for-autonomous-car | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}}{{cite news |last1=Hawkins |first1=Andrew J. |title=Waymo is teaming up with Uber on autonomous trucking because time really heals all wounds |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/7/23156674/waymo-via-uber-freight-autonomous-truck-deal |website=The Verge |date=June 7, 2022}}
In December 2016, Uber acquired Geometric Intelligence. Geometric Intelligence's 15 person staff formed the initial core of "Uber AI", a division for researching AI technologies and machine learning.{{Cite web |title=Uber Just Bought a Startup You've Never Heard Of. Here's Why That's Important. |url=https://fortune.com/2016/12/05/uber-artificial-intelligence-acquisition/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Fortune |language=en}} Uber AI created multiple open source projects, such as Pyro, Ludwig, and Plato. Uber AI also developed new AI techniques and algorithms, such as the POET algorithm and a sequence of papers on neuroevolution. Uber AI was shut down in May 2020.{{Cite web |last1=Bosa |first1=Deirdre |first2=Lauren |last2=Feiner |date=2020-05-18 |title=Uber to cut 3,000 more jobs |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/18/uber-reportedly-to-cut-3000-more-jobs.html |website=CNBC}}{{Cite web |title=Founding Uber AI Labs |url=https://www.uber.com/newsroom/ailabs/ |website=Uber Newsroom |date=December 5, 2016}}
In August 2017, Dara Khosrowshahi, the former CEO of Expedia Group, replaced Kalanick as CEO.{{cite news | url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/New-Uber-CEO-will-face-daunting-challenges-12098498.php | title=New Uber CEO will face daunting challenges | work=San Francisco Chronicle| first=Carolyn | last=Said | date=28 August 2017}}{{cite news | url=https://mashable.com/2017/08/28/uber-new-ceo-dara-khosrowshahi-expedia-nice/ | title= Uber's (probable) new CEO is known to be 'fair and nice,' for a change | work= Mashable| first=Kerry | last=Flynn | date=28 August 2017}} Earlier in March 2015, as CEO of Expedia Group, Khosrowshahi had led a multimillion equity investment in Wingz, Inc., the first ridesharing company in the world.{{cite news
|url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeanbaptiste/2016/01/25/ceo-tech-talk-wingz-raises-11-million-to-disrupt-airport-shuttle-rides-plans-nationwide-expansion/#58a99f0e3cf7
|title = Wingz Raises $11 Million To Disrupt Airport Rides, Plans Nationwide Expansion
|work = Forbes
|author = Jeb Su
|date = 25 January 2016
|url = https://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2015/04/13/wingz-raises-2m-to-book-airport-rides-for-people-who-plan-ahead/
|title = Wingz Raises $2M to Book Airport Rides for People Who Plan Ahead
|publisher = Wall Street Journal
|author = Lora Kolodny, Wall Street Journal Staff
|date = 13 April 2015
|accessdate =2015-04-13
}}
In February 2018, Uber combined its operations in Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Kazakhstan with those of Yandex Taxi and invested $225 million in the venture.{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-yandex-jointventure/uber-yandex-complete-ride-services-merger-idUSKBN1FR2IR | title=Uber, Yandex complete ride services merger | first=Jack | last=Stubbs | work=Reuters | date=February 7, 2018}} In March 2018, Uber merged its services in Southeast Asia with those of Grab in exchange for a 27.5% ownership stake in Grab.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-43536322 | title=Uber sells South East Asia business to Grab | work=BBC News | date=March 26, 2018 | access-date=June 22, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628005621/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-43536322 | archive-date=June 28, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | url=https://www.ft.com/content/7b415e82-3098-11e8-b5bf-23cb17fd1498 | title=Uber exits south-east Asia with sale to rival Grab | first1=Richard | last1=Waters | first2=Louise | last2=Lucas | work=Financial Times | date=March 26, 2018 | access-date=January 12, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113122445/https://www.ft.com/content/7b415e82-3098-11e8-b5bf-23cb17fd1498 | archive-date=January 13, 2019 | url-status=live |url-access=subscription | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellekeetonolsen/2018/03/26/grab-officially-takes-control-of-ubers-southeast-asia-operations/ | title=Grab Officially Takes Control Of Uber's Southeast Asia Operations | first=Danielle | last=Keeton-Olsen | work=Fortune | date=March 26, 2018 | access-date=January 12, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401003737/https://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellekeetonolsen/2018/03/26/grab-officially-takes-control-of-ubers-southeast-asia-operations/ | archive-date=April 1, 2019 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}
Between May 2018 and November 2018, Uber offered Uber Rent powered by Getaround, a peer-to-peer carsharing service available to some users in San Francisco.{{Cite news | url=https://qz.com/1475251/uber-shut-down-uber-rent-its-rental-car-program-for-riders/ | title=Uber shut down its rental car program for Uber riders | first=Alison | last=Griswold | work=Quartz | date=November 27, 2018}}
In November 2018, Uber became a gold member of the Linux Foundation.{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/15/uber-joins-linux-foundation-cementing-commitment-to-open-source-tools/ | title=Uber joins Linux Foundation, cementing commitment to open-source tools | first=Ron | last=Miller | work=TechCrunch | date=November 15, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116104709/https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/15/uber-joins-linux-foundation-cementing-commitment-to-open-source-tools/ | archive-date=November 16, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{Cite news | url=https://sdtimes.com/softwaredev/sd-times-news-digest-alexa-hosted-skills-uber-becomes-gold-member-of-the-linux-foundation-and-oasis-devnet/ |title=SD Times news digest: Alexa-hosted skills, Uber becomes Gold member of the Linux Foundation, and Oasis Devnet | first=Jenna | last=Sargent | website=SD Times |date=November 19, 2018}}
In 2018, Uber formed a partnership with Autzu, a San Francisco-based ridesharing company. This collaboration provides Uber drivers with the opportunity to rent electric Tesla on an hourly basis.{{Cite web |last=Garsten |first=Ed |title=Tesla-Only Driveshare Company Autzu Expanding To Three Big U.S. Cities With Eye To EV Robocars |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/edgarsten/2023/06/01/tesla-only-driveshare-company-autzu-expanding-to-three-big-us-cities-with-eye-to-ev-robocars/ |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Ryan |title=Uber partnerships with car-rental startups could increase congestion, experts say |work=CBC |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/uber-partnerships-with-car-rental-startups-could-increase-congestion-experts-say-1.4778393}}
On May 10, 2019, Uber became a public company via an initial public offering.{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/uber-stumbles-in-trading-debut-11557503554 |title=Uber IPO Stumbles, Stock Trades Below Offering Price |last1=Driebusch |first1=Corrie |last2=Farrell |first2=Maureen | work=The Wall Street Journal |date=May 10, 2019 | url-access=subscription}}
In the summer of 2019, Uber announced layoffs of 8% of its staff and eliminated the position of COO Barney Harford.{{Cite news |url=https://fortune.com/2019/09/10/uber-employee-cuts-layoffs/ |title=Uber Makes a Second Round of Employee Cuts, Laying Off 435 From the Engineering and Product Teams | first=Danielle | last=Abril | website=Fortune | date=September 10, 2019 | url-access=subscription}}
In October 2019, Uber acquired 53% of Cornershop, a provider of grocery delivery services primarily in Latin America.{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/technology/uber-cornershop-grocery-delivery.html | title=Uber Acquires Cornershop, a Grocery Delivery Start-Up | first=Kate | last=Conger | work=The New York Times | date=October 11, 2019 | url-access=subscription}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.grocerydive.com/news/uber-to-acquire-international-grocery-delivery-startup/564941/ | title=Uber to acquire international grocery delivery startup | first=Krishna | last=Thakker | work=Industry Dive | date=October 14, 2019}} In June 2021, it acquired the remaining 47% interest in Cornershop for 29 million shares of Uber.{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/21/uber-to-become-the-sole-owner-of-grocery-delivery-startup-cornershop/ | title=Uber to become the sole owner of grocery delivery startup Cornershop | first=Aria | last=Alamalhodaei | work=TechCrunch | date=June 21, 2021}}
Between October 2019 and May 2020, Uber offered Uber Works, a mobile app connecting workers who wanted temporary jobs with businesses in Chicago and Miami.{{Cite news| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-workers-chicago-idUSKBN1WI0BN |title=Uber launches app aimed at connecting workers with businesses | work=Reuters | date=October 3, 2019}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article238461728.html|title=Uber is about to provide a lot more gig opportunities in Miami-Dade |last=Wile |first=Rob |work=Miami Herald| date=December 18, 2019}}
In January 2020, Uber acquired Careem for $3.1 billion{{Cite web| url=https://laffaz.com/uber-closes-the-acquisition-of-middle-eastern-rival-careem-for-3-1-billion/ |title=[Big News] Uber closes the acquisition of Middle-Eastern rival Careem for $3.1 Billion|last=Singh |first=Pradeep |date=2020-01-06 |website=LAFFAZ |access-date=2020-01-17}} and sold its Indian Uber Eats operations to Zomato.{{Cite news | title=Uber sells food delivery business in India to Zomato | url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/01/20/uber-sells-food-delivery-business-in-india-to-zomato/ | first=Manish | last=Singh | website=TechCrunch | date=January 20, 2020 }}
Also in January 2020, Uber tested a feature that enabled drivers at the Santa Barbara, Sacramento, and Palm Springs airports to set fares based on a multiple of Uber's rates.{{cite news | title=Uber Tests Feature Letting Some California Drivers Set Their Own Rates |first=Matt |last=McFarland |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/21/tech/uber-california-drivers-rates/index.html | work=CNN | date=January 21, 2020}}
In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Uber announced layoffs of over 14% of its workforce.{{Cite web |title=Uber is laying off 3,700 as rides plummet due to COVID-19 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/06/uber-is-laying-off-3700-as-rides-plummet-due-to-covid-19/ |last=Heater |first=Brian | website=TechCrunch |date=May 6, 2020}}{{cite news| url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/uber-cuts-3-000-more-jobs-shuts-45-offices-in-coronavirus-crunch-11589814608?mod=business_lead_pos1| title=Uber Cuts 3,000 More Jobs, Shuts 45 Offices in Coronavirus Crunch| work=The Wall Street Journal| first=Preetika | last=Rana |date=May 18, 2020| url-access=subscription}}
In June 2020, in its first software as a service partnership, Uber announced that it would manage the on-demand high-occupancy vehicle fleet for Marin Transit, a public bus agency in Marin County, California.{{Cite web|last=Korosec|first=Kirsten|date=2020-06-17|title=Uber pushes into on-demand public transit with its first SaaS partnership|url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/17/uber-pushes-into-on-demand-public-transit-with-its-first-saas-partnership/|access-date=2020-06-17|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|archive-date=August 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817071536/https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/17/uber-pushes-into-on-demand-public-transit-with-its-first-saas-partnership/|url-status=live}}
In September 2020, Uber committed to carbon neutrality globally by 2040, and required that, by 2030, in most countries, rides must be offered exclusively in electric vehicles.{{cite web | url=https://www.uber.com/en-AE/newsroom/driving-a-green-recovery/ | title=Driving a Green Recovery | first=Dara | last=Khosrowshahi | author-link=Dara Khosrowshahi | publisher=Uber | date=September 8, 2020}}{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/08/committing-to-a-fully-zero-emission-fleet-by-2040-uber-is-dedicating-800-million-to-electrifying-its-drivers/ | title=Committing to a fully zero-emission fleet by 2040, Uber is dedicating $800 million to electrifying its drivers | first=Jonathan | last=Shieber | work=TechCrunch | date=September 8, 2020}}{{Cite news | url=https://thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/environment/515631-uber-pledges-net-zero-emissions-by-2040/ | title=Uber pledges net-zero emissions by 2040 | first=Alexandra | last=Kelley | work=The Hill | date=September 9, 2020}}
In December 2020, Uber acquired Postmates for $2.65 billion.{{cite press release | url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201201005727/en/Uber-Completes-Acquisition-of-Postmates | title=Uber Completes Acquisition of Postmates | publisher=Business Wire | date=December 1, 2020}}{{cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/01/uber-officially-completes-postmates-acquisition/ | title=Uber officially completes Postmates acquisition | first=Darrell | last=Etherington | work=TechCrunch | date=December 1, 2020}}{{cite news | url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/uber-completes-postmates-acquisition-boosting-its-place-in-food-delivery-11606851940 | title=Uber completes Postmates acquisition, boosting its place in food delivery | first=Levi | last=Sumagaysay | work=MarketWatch | date=December 1, 2020}}
Also in December 2020, Uber sold its Elevate division, which was developing short flights using VTOL aircraft, to Joby Aviation.{{Cite news |title=Uber sells loss-making flying taxi division to Joby Aviation | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/dec/09/uber-sells-loss-making-flying-taxi-division-to-joby-aviation |work=The Guardian | last=Neate |first=Rupert |date=December 9, 2020 | issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2020/12/08/uber-selling-air-taxi-business-to-joby-aviation.html | title=A day after selling self-driving unit, Uber's offloading air taxi wing to Joby Aviation | first=Cromwell |last=Schubarth | work=American City Business Journals | date=December 8, 2020}}
In January 2021, Uber Advanced Technologies Group (ATG), a joint venture minority-owned by SoftBank Vision Fund, Toyota, and Denso that was developing self-driving cars, was sold to Aurora Innovation for $4 billion in equity and Uber invested $400 million into Aurora.{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-atg/uber-sells-atg-self-driving-business-to-aurora-at-4-billion-idUSKBN28H2RX |title=Uber sells ATG self-driving business to Aurora at $4 billion | last1=Hu | first1=Krystal | last2=Bellon | first2=Tina | last3=Lee | first3=Jane Lanhee |work=Reuters |date=December 7, 2020}}{{cite news | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2021/01/19/aurora-closes-acquisition-of-uber-atg.html | title=Aurora closes acquisition of Uber ATG, forms partnership with PACCAR | first=Julia | last=Mericle | work=American City Business Journals | date=January 19, 2021 | url-access=subscription}}
In March 2021, the company moved to a new headquarters on Third Street in Mission Bay, San Francisco, consisting of several 6- and 11-story buildings connected by bridges and walkways.{{Cite news | url=https://www.ktvu.com/news/uber-opens-new-san-francisco-mission-bay-headquarters | title=Uber opens new San Francisco Mission Bay headquarters | first=Tom | last=Vacar | work=KTVU | date=March 29, 2021}}
In October 2021, Uber acquired Drizly, an alcohol delivery service, for $1.1 billion in cash and stock; it was shut down in early 2024.{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/01/16/uber-is-closing-alcohol-delivery-service-drizly-three-years-after-acquistion/ | title=Uber is closing alcohol delivery service Drizly three years after acquisition | first=Ivan | last=Mehta | work=TechCrunch | date=January 16, 2024}}{{cite press release | url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211013005380/en/Cheers%21-Uber-Completes-Acquisition-of-Drizly | title=Cheers! Uber Completes Acquisition of Drizly | publisher=Business Wire | date=October 13, 2021}}
On January 20, 2022, Uber acquired Australian car-sharing company Car Next Door.{{Cite news |last=Ross| first=David |title=Uber buys Australian car-sharing tech start up Car Next Door |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/uber-buys-australian-carsharing-tech-start-up-car-next-door/news-story/144e68b11d22ff3ebcd6f1b635440d1e |website=The Australian |date=January 20, 2022}}
{{anchor|September 2022 security breach}}
On September 15, 2022, Uber discovered a security breach of its internal network by a hacker that utilized social engineering to obtain an employee's credentials and gain access to the company's VPN and intranet. The company said that no sensitive data had been compromised.{{Cite news | last=Fingas| first=Jon | title=Uber finds 'no evidence' that sensitive user data was stolen in hack | work=Engadget | access-date=2022-09-17 | date=2022-09-16 | url=https://www.engadget.com/uber-hack-no-evidence-sensitive-user-data-stolen-193949399.html}}{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-62925047 | title=Uber investigating hack on its computer systems | date=September 16, 2022 | work=BBC News | access-date=2022-09-19 }}
Controversies
{{main|Controversies surrounding Uber}}
Uber classifies its drivers as gig workers or independent contractors, which has drawn criticism and legal challenges because it allows the company to withhold worker protections that it would have been required to provide to employees.{{cite news |last=Sainato |first=Michael |date=August 27, 2021 |title='I don't like being treated like crap': gig workers aim to retool a system they say is rigged |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/aug/27/gig-workers-massachusetts-lawsuit-independent-contractor-status |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031160651/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/aug/27/gig-workers-massachusetts-lawsuit-independent-contractor-status |archive-date=October 31, 2021 |work=The Guardian}}{{cite news |last=Luna |first=Taryn |date=November 4, 2020 |title=California voters approve Prop. 22, allowing Uber and Lyft drivers to remain independent contractors |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-11-03/2020-california-election-tracking-prop-22 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104231140/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-11-03/2020-california-election-tracking-prop-22 |archive-date=January 4, 2021 |work=Los Angeles Times}}
This figure has disrupted taxicab businesses, and has become the subject of legal action in several jurisdictions.
Ridesharing companies are regulated in many jurisdictions and the Uber platform is not available in several countries where the company is not able or willing to comply with local regulations.
In addition, studies have shown that, especially in cities where it competes with public transport, Uber contributes to an increase in traffic congestion, reduces public transport use, has no substantial impact on vehicle ownership, and increases automobile dependency.
Other controversies involving Uber include various unethical practices such as aggressive lobbying and ignoring/evading local regulations. Some of these conducts were revealed by a leak of documents showing controversial activity between 2013 and 2017 under the leadership of Travis Kalanick.
= Ignoring and evading local regulations =
Uber has been criticized for its strategy of generally commencing operations in a city without regard for local regulations. If faced with regulatory opposition, Uber called for public support for its service and mounted a political campaign, supported by lobbying, to change regulations. Uber argued that it is "a technology company" and not a taxi company, and therefore it was not subject to regulations affecting taxi companies. Uber's strategy was generally to "seek forgiveness rather than permission".{{Cite news | url=https://hbr.org/2017/06/uber-cant-be-fixed-its-time-for-regulators-to-shut-it-down | title=Uber Can't Be Fixed — It's Time for Regulators to Shut It Down | first=Benjamin | last=Edelman | work=Harvard Business Review | date=June 21, 2017}} In 2014, with regards to airport pickups without a permit in California, drivers were actually told to ignore local regulations and that the company would pay for any citations.{{Cite news | url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/rideshare-drivers-told-to-ignore-regulations-uber-lyft-will-pay-citations-at-bay-area-airports/70918/ | title=Uber and Lyft Drivers Told to Ignore Regulations: Companies Pay Airport Citations for Drivers | first1=Elyce | last1=Kirchner | first2=David | last2=Paredes | work=KNTV | date=October 6, 2014}} Uber's response to California Assembly Bill 5 (2019), whereby it announced that it would not comply with the law, then engaged lobbyists and mounted an expensive public opinion campaign to overturn it via a ballot, was cited as an example of this policy.{{Cite news | title=Uber Became Big by Ignoring Laws (and It Plans to Keep Doing That) | url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/uber-became-big-by-ignoring-laws-and-it-plans-to-keep-doing-that/ | first1=Edward Jr. | last1=Ongweso | first2=Jason | last2=Koebler | work=Vice Media | date=September 11, 2019}}{{Cite news | url=https://prospect.org/justice/uber-goes-back-basics-violating-law/ | title=Uber Goes Back to Basics: Violating the Law | first=ALEXANDER | last=SAMMON | work=The American Prospect | date=September 12, 2019}}
More than 124,000 Uber documents covering the five-year period from 2012 to 2017 when Uber was run by its co-founder Travis Kalanick were leaked by Mark MacGann, a lobbyist who "led Uber's efforts to win over governments across Europe, the Middle East and Africa",{{Cite news |title=The Uber whistleblower: I'm exposing a system that sold people a lie |last1=Lewis |first1=Paul |last2=Davies |first2=Harry |last3=O'Carroll |first3=Lisa |last4=Goodley |first4=Simon |last5=Lawrence |first5=Felicity |newspaper=The Guardian |date=11 July 2022 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/jul/11/uber-files-whistleblower-lobbyist-mark-macgann}} to The Guardian newspaper and first printed on 10 July 2022 by its Sunday sister The Observer. The documents revealed attempts to lobby Joe Biden, Olaf Scholz and George Osborne; how Emmanuel Macron secretly aided Uber lobbying in France, and use of a kill switch during police raids to conceal data. Travis Kalanick dismissed concerns from other executives that sending Uber drivers to a protest in France put them at risk of violence from angry opponents in the taxi industry, saying "I think it's worth it, violence guarantees success".{{Cite news |title=Uber broke laws, duped police and built secret lobbying operation, leak reveals |last1=Davies |first1=Harry |last2=Goodley |first2=Simon |last3=Lawrence |first3=Felicity |last4=Lewis |first4=Paul |last5=O'Carroll |first5=Lisa |newspaper=The Observer |date=10 July 2022 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/jul/10/uber-files-leak-reveals-global-lobbying-campaign }}
Taxi companies sued Uber in numerous American cities, alleging that Uber's policy of violating taxi regulations was a form of unfair competition or a violation of antitrust law.{{Cite news | url=https://www.courthousenews.com/boston-cab-drivers-lose-battle-with-uber-at-first-circuit/ | title=Boston cab drivers lose battle with Uber at First Circuit|first1=Emilee | last1=Larkin| work=Courthouse News Service | date=August 6, 2021}} Although some courts did find that Uber intentionally violated the taxi rules, Uber prevailed in every case, including the only case to proceed to trial.{{Cite web|url=https://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3488&context=vlr|title=John Greil, The Unfranchised Competitor Doctrine, 66 Villanova Law Review 357, 377 (2021)|website=digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu|access-date=July 10, 2022}}
In March 2017, an investigation by The New York Times revealed that Uber developed a software tool called "Greyball" to avoid giving rides to known law enforcement officers in areas where its service was illegal such as in Portland, Oregon, Australia, South Korea, and China. The tool identified government officials using geofencing, mining credit card databases, identifying devices, and searches of social media.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/technology/uber-greyball-program-evade-authorities.html | first=Mike | last=Isaac | title=How Uber Deceives the Authorities Worldwide | work=The New York Times | date=March 3, 2017 | url-access=limited | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305054555/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/technology/uber-greyball-program-evade-authorities.html | archive-date=March 5, 2017 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}}{{cite news | first=Heather | last=Somerville | work=Reuters | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-greyball-idUSKBN16G041 | title=Uber prohibits use of 'Greyball' technology to evade authorities | date=March 8, 2017}}{{cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/blue-sky/ct-uber-greyball-20170303-story.html | title=Uber's secret 'Greyball' program shows just how far it will go to get its way | first1=Craig | last1=Timberg | first2=Brian | last2=Fung | work=Chicago Tribune | date=March 3, 2017 | url-access=subscription | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430185631/http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/technology/ct-uber-greyball-20170303-story.html | archive-date=April 30, 2017 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}} While at first, Uber stated that it only used the tool to identify riders that violated its terms of service, after investigations by Portland, Oregon,{{cite news | url=https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/index.ssf/2017/03/ubers_greyball_scheme_to_thwar.html | title=Portland to investigate Uber's 'Greyball' scheme to thwart regulators | last=Njus | first=Elliot | work=The Oregonian | date=March 6, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910203951/https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/index.ssf/2017/03/ubers_greyball_scheme_to_thwar.html | archive-date=September 10, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite web | publisher=Portland Bureau of Transportation | url=https://www.portlandoregon.gov/saltzman/article/637492 | title=Transportation Network Companies: Regulation Evasion Audit | date=April 28, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503033639/https://www.portlandoregon.gov/saltzman/article/637492 | archive-date=May 3, 2017 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | last=Njus | first=Elliot | title=Portland may subpoena Uber over regulator-dodging 'Greyball' software | url=https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/2017/04/portland_may_subpoena_uber_ove.html | work=The Oregonian | date=April 27, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910204341/https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/index.ssf/2017/04/portland_may_subpoena_uber_ove.html | archive-date=September 10, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}} and the United States Department of Justice,{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-tech-crime-exclusive/exclusive-uber-faces-criminal-probe-over-software-used-to-evade-authorities-idUSKBN1802U1 | title=Exclusive: Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade authorities | first1=Dan | last1=Levine | first2=Joseph | last2=Menn | work=Reuters | date=May 5, 2017}}{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/04/technology/uber-federal-inquiry-software-greyball.html | title=Uber Faces Federal Inquiry Over Use of Greyball Tool to Evade Authorities | first1=Mike | last1=Isaac | work=The New York Times | date=May 4, 2017 | url-access=limited}}{{cite news | title=Justice Department Expands Its Inquiry Into Uber's Greyball Tool | first1=Mike | last1=Isaac | work=The New York Times | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/05/technology/uber-greyball-investigation-expands.html | date=May 5, 2017 | url-access=limited}} Uber admitted to using the tool to skirt local regulations and promised not to use the tool for that purpose.{{cite news | first1=Marco | last1=della Cava | website=USA Today | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/03/08/uber-stop-using-greyball-target-regulators/98930282/ | title=Uber admits its ghost driver 'Greyball' tool was used to thwart regulators, vows to stop | date=March 8, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428093119/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/03/08/uber-stop-using-greyball-target-regulators/98930282/ | archive-date=April 28, 2017 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}}{{cite news | url=https://newsroom.uber.com/an-update-on-greyballing/ | title=An update on "greyballing" | last=Sullivan | first=Joe | publisher=Uber | date=March 8, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329151116/https://newsroom.uber.com/an-update-on-greyballing/ | archive-date=March 29, 2017 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} The use of Greyball in London was cited by Transport for London as one of the reasons for its decision not to renew Uber's private hire operator licence in September 2017.{{cite press release | url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2017/september/licensing-decision-on-uber-london-limited | title=TFL decision on Uber London Limited | publisher=Transport for London | date=September 22, 2017}}{{cite news | url=http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lost-licence-operate-london-2017-9 | title=Uber has lost its licence to operate in London | website=Business Insider | date=September 22, 2017}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44594058 | title=Uber to begin appeal over London licence | work=BBC News |date=June 25, 2018}} A January 2018 report by Bloomberg News stated that Uber routinely used a "panic button" system, codenamed "Ripley", that locked, powered off and changed passwords on staff computers when those offices were subjected to government raids.{{cite news | last1=Zaleski | first1=Olivia | last2=Newcomer | first2=Eric | title=Uber's Secret Tool for Keeping the Cops in the Dark | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-11/uber-s-secret-tool-for-keeping-the-cops-in-the-dark | work=Bloomberg News | date=January 11, 2018 | url-access=subscription | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921074043/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-11/uber-s-secret-tool-for-keeping-the-cops-in-the-dark | archive-date=September 21, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} Uber allegedly used this button at least 24 times, from spring 2015 until late 2016.{{cite news | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/report-uber-system-disrupted-government-investigations-2018-1 | title=Uber reportedly disrupted government investigations for almost 2 years with a 'secret' system called 'Ripley' | first=Mark | last=Matousek | work=Business Insider | date=January 11, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908164928/https://www.businessinsider.com/report-uber-system-disrupted-government-investigations-2018-1 | archive-date=September 8, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jan/11/uber-developed-secret-system-to-lock-down-staff-computers-in-a-police-raid | title=Uber developed secret system to lock down staff computers in a police raid | first=Olivia | last=Solon | work=The Guardian | date=January 11, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111232714/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jan/11/uber-developed-secret-system-to-lock-down-staff-computers-in-a-police-raid | archive-date=January 11, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}
= Traffic congestion =
{{#section-h::Ridesharing company|Traffic congestion}}
= Counter-intelligence research on class action plaintiffs =
In 2016, Uber hired the global security consulting firm Ergo to secretly investigate plaintiffs involved in a class action lawsuit. Ergo operatives posed as acquaintances of the plaintiff's counsel and tried to contact their associates to obtain information that could be used against them. The result of which was found out causing the judge to throw out evidence obtained as obtained in a fraudulent manner.{{cite web | url =https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/10/12127638/uber-ergo-investigation-lawsuit-fraud-travis-kalanick | title =How Uber secretly investigated its legal foes — and got caught | last2 =Hawkins | first2 =Andrew | last1 =Brandom | first1 =Russel | date =July 10, 2016 | website =theverge.com | publisher =The Verge | access-date =July 18, 2022 | quote =By the end of the week, Henley was on the phone with a corporate research firm called Ergo, also known as Global Precision Research LLC, asking for help with "a sensitive, very under-the-radar investigation." After a few emails, Henley worked out the terms of the deal with an Ergo executive named Todd Egeland. It would be a "level two" investigation, the middle of the three levels of work offered by Ergo. It would be drawn from seven source interviews conducted over the course of 10 days, for which Uber would pay $19,500. As with any Ergo investigation, the confidentiality of the client was paramount, and sources were never meant to know who was paying for the research. "We do quite a bit of this work for law firms," Egeland reassured him. (Ergo did not respond to requests for comment.) }}{{cite web | url =https://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-uber-rakoff-20160610-snap-story.html | title =Column: How sleazy is Uber? This federal judge wants to know | last =Hiltzik | first =Michael | date =June 10, 2016 | website =Los Angeles Times| access-date =July 22, 2022 | quote =As it turns out, it was them. Uber confessed in February that it had hired the security firm Ergo to investigate Mayer and his lawyers. In fact, Meyer's lawyers say Ergo's investigative report was circulating in Uber's offices and may have been in the hands of the company's general counsel, Salle Yoo, on January 20, the very day the company's lawyers were saying "it is not us." }}
= Sexual harassment allegations and management shakeup (2017) =
On February 19, 2017, former Uber engineer Susan Fowler published on her website that she was propositioned for sex by a manager and subsequently threatened with termination of employment by another manager if she continued to report the incident. Kalanick was allegedly aware of the complaint.{{Cite web | url=https://www.susanjfowler.com/blog/2017/2/19/reflecting-on-one-very-strange-year-at-uber | title=Reflecting on one very, very strange year at Uber | first=Susan | last=Fowler | author-link=Susan Fowler | date=February 19, 2017}}{{cite news | url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/02/uber-ceo-orders-urgent-investigation-into-sexual-harassment-allegations | title=Uber C.E.O. Orders "Urgent Investigation" into Sexual Harassment Allegations | work=Vanity Fair | first=Maya | last=Kosoff | date=February 20, 2017 | archive-date=July 13, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713100734/http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/02/uber-ceo-orders-urgent-investigation-into-sexual-harassment-allegations | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} On February 27, 2017, Amit Singhal, Uber's Senior Vice President of Engineering, was forced to resign after he failed to disclose a sexual harassment claim against him that occurred while he served as Vice President of Google Search.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/27/technology/uber-sexual-harassment-amit-singhal-resign.html | title=Amit Singhal, Uber Executive Linked to Old Harassment Claim, Resigns | work=The New York Times | first=Mike | last=Isaac | date=February 27, 2017 | url-access=limited | archive-date=March 8, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308220211/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/27/technology/uber-sexual-harassment-amit-singhal-resign.html | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} After investigations led by former attorney general Eric Holder and Arianna Huffington, a member of Uber's board of directors,{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-uber-eric-holder-20170221-story.html | title=Uber hires Eric Holder to investigate sexual harassment claims | last=Overly | first=Steven | work=Los Angeles Times | date=February 21, 2017 | archive-date=February 21, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221212821/http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-uber-eric-holder-20170221-story.html | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} in June 2017, Uber fired over 20 employees.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/06/uber-fires-employees-sexual-harassment-investigation | title=Uber fires more than 20 employees after sexual harassment investigation | first=Olivia | last=Solon | work=The Guardian | date=June 7, 2016 | issn=0261-3077 | archive-date=June 7, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607072309/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/06/uber-fires-employees-sexual-harassment-investigation | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | url=https://fortune.com/2017/06/06/uber-sexual-harassment-investigation/ | title=Uber Fires More Than 20 Employees After Harassment Investigation: Report | first=Polina | last=Marinova | work=Fortune | date=June 6, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608214413/http://fortune.com/2017/06/06/uber-sexual-harassment-investigation/ | archive-date=June 8, 2017 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} Kalanick took an indefinite leave of absence but, under pressure from investors, he resigned as CEO a week later.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/technology/uber-ceo-travis-kalanick.html | title=Uber Founder Travis Kalanick Resigns as C.E.O. | last=Isaac | first=Mike | work=The New York Times | date=June 21, 2017 | url-access=limited | archive-date=June 21, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170621140538/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/technology/uber-ceo-travis-kalanick.html | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | last=Segall | first=Laurie | author-link=Laurie Segall | url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/06/21/technology/uber-travis-kalanick-resignation/index.html | title=Travis Kalanick resigns as Uber CEO after months of crisis | work=CNN | date=June 21, 2017 | archive-date=August 31, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831175001/https://money.cnn.com/2017/06/21/technology/uber-travis-kalanick-resignation/index.html | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} Also departing the company in June 2017 was Emil Michael, a senior vice president who suggested that Uber hire a team of opposition researchers and journalists, with a million-dollar budget, to "dig up dirt" on the personal lives and backgrounds of journalists who reported negatively on Uber, specifically targeting Sarah Lacy, editor of PandoDaily, who, in an article published in October 2014, accused Uber of sexism and misogyny in its advertising.{{cite news | url=https://pando.com/2014/10/22/the-horrific-trickle-down-of-asshole-culture-at-a-company-like-uber/ | title=The horrific trickle down of Asshole culture: Why I've just deleted Uber from my phone | first=Sarah | last=Lacy | author-link=Sarah Lacy | work=PandoDaily | date=October 22, 2014 | archive-date=September 10, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910094635/https://pando.com/2014/10/22/the-horrific-trickle-down-of-asshole-culture-at-a-company-like-uber/ | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/uber-executive-suggests-digging-up-dirt-on-journalists | title=Uber Executive Suggests Digging Up Dirt On Journalists | first=Ben | last=Smith | work=BuzzFeed | date=November 17, 2014| archive-date=September 17, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917124113/https://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/uber-executive-suggests-digging-up-dirt-on-journalists | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | url=https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/18/emil-michael-of-uber-proposes-digging-into-journalists-private-lives/ | title=Uber Executive Proposes Digging into Journalists' Private Lives | last=Isaac | first=Mike | work=The New York Times | date=November 18, 2014 | url-access=limited | archive-date=November 3, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103020355/https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/18/emil-michael-of-uber-proposes-digging-into-journalists-private-lives | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | url=https://pando.com/2014/11/17/the-moment-i-learned-just-how-far-uber-will-go-to-silence-journalists-and-attack-women/ | title=The moment I learned just how far Uber will go to silence journalists and attack women | last=Lacy | first=Sarah | author-link=Sarah Lacy | work=PandoDaily | date=November 17, 2014 | archive-date=September 8, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908202245/https://pando.com/2014/11/17/the-moment-i-learned-just-how-far-uber-will-go-to-silence-journalists-and-attack-women/ | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite magazine | url=https://time.com/5023287/uber-threatened-journalist-sarah-lacy/ | title=Uber Executive Said the Company Would Spend 'A Million Dollars' to Shut Me Up | last=Lacy | first=Sarah | author-link=Sarah Lacy | magazine=Time | date=November 14, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728010303/http://time.com/5023287/uber-threatened-journalist-sarah-lacy/ | archive-date=July 28, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | url=https://qz.com/1003453/emil-michael-ubers-most-scandal-ridden-exec-is-reportedly-out/ | title=Uber's most scandal-ridden exec is out – and it's not Travis Kalanick | first=Alison | last=Griswold | work=Quartz | date=June 12, 2017 | archive-date=September 9, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909185330/https://qz.com/1003453/emil-michael-ubers-most-scandal-ridden-exec-is-reportedly-out/ | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} In August 2018, Uber agreed to pay a total of $7 million to settle claims of gender discrimination, harassment, and hostile work environment, with 480 employees and former employees receiving $10,700 each and 56 of those employees and former employees receiving an additional $33,900 each.{{cite news | url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/08/21/technology/uber-settlement/index.html | title=Uber to pay 56 workers $1.9 million for harassment and discrimination claims | first=Sara Ashley | last=O'Brien | work=CNN | date=August 22, 2018 | archive-date=September 9, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909191906/https://money.cnn.com/2018/08/21/technology/uber-settlement/index.html | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} In December 2019, Kalanick resigned from the board of directors of the company and sold his shares.{{cite news | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/24/travis-kalanick-to-depart-uber-board-of-directors.html | title=Travis Kalanick severs all ties with Uber, departing board and selling all his shares | first=Annie | last=Palmer | work=CNBC | date=December 24, 2019}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/24/technology/uber-travis-kalanick.html | title=Uber Founder Travis Kalanick Leaves Board, Severing Last Tie | first=Kate | last=Conger | work=The New York Times | date=December 24, 2019 | url-access=limited}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/uber-co-founder-travis-kalanick-to-depart-companys-board-11577196747 | title=Uber Co-Founder Travis Kalanick Departs Board, Sells All His Shares | first=Eliot | last=Brown | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=December 24, 2019 | url-access=subscription}}{{Cite news | url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/12/travis-kalanick-quits-ubers-board-sells-off-all-his-uber-stock/ | title=Travis Kalanick quits Uber's board, sells off all his Uber stock | first=TIMOTHY B. |last=LEE | work=Ars Technica | date=December 24, 2019}}
= Delayed disclosure of data breaches =
On February 27, 2015, Uber admitted that it had suffered a data breach more than nine months prior. Names and license plate information from approximately 50,000 drivers were inadvertently disclosed.{{cite news | last1=Guess | first1=Megan | title=50,000 Uber driver names, license plate numbers exposed in a data breach | url=https://arstechnica.com/business/2015/02/50000-uber-driver-names-license-plate-numbers-exposed-in-a-data-breach/ | work=Ars Technica | date=February 28, 2015 | archive-date=November 25, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125151136/http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/02/50000-uber-driver-names-license-plate-numbers-exposed-in-a-data-breach/ | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} Uber discovered this leak in September 2014, but waited more than five months to notify the affected individuals.{{cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/02/27/uber-database-breach-exposed-information-of-50000-drivers-company-confirms/ | title=Uber Database Breach Exposed Information Of 50,000 Drivers, Company Confirms | last=Taylor | first=Colleen | work=TechCrunch | date=February 22, 2015 | archive-date=December 30, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230044044/https://techcrunch.com/2015/02/27/uber-database-breach-exposed-information-of-50000-drivers-company-confirms/ | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}
An announcement in November 2017 revealed that in 2016, a separate data breach had disclosed the personal information of 600,000 drivers and 57 million customers. This data included names, email addresses, phone numbers, and drivers' license information. Hackers used employees' usernames and passwords that had been compromised in previous breaches (a "credential stuffing" method) to gain access to a private GitHub repository used by Uber's developers. The hackers located credentials for the company's Amazon Web Services datastore in the repository files, and were able to obtain access to the account records of users and drivers, as well as other data contained in over 100 Amazon S3 buckets. Uber paid a $100,000 ransom to the hackers on the promise they would delete the stolen data.{{cite news | last=Lee | first=Dave | title=Uber concealed huge data breach | work=BBC News | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-42075306 | date=November 22, 2017 | archive-date=June 25, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625153418/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-42075306 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | last=Farivar | first=Cyrus | title=Hackers hit Uber in 2016: data on 57 million riders, drivers stolen | url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/11/report-uber-paid-hackers-100000-to-keep-2016-data-breach-quiet/ | work=Ars Technica | date=November 21, 2017 | archive-date=November 22, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122092119/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/11/report-uber-paid-hackers-100000-to-keep-2016-data-breach-quiet/ | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} Uber was subsequently criticized for concealing this data breach.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/22/uber-scrutiny-data-breach-hacking | title=Uber faces slew of investigations in wake of 'outrageous' data hack cover-up | first=Julia Carrie | last=Wong | author-link=Julia Carrie Wong | work=The Guardian | date=November 22, 2017 | archive-date=November 22, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122220336/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/22/uber-scrutiny-data-breach-hacking | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}} Dara Khosrowshahi publicly apologized.{{cite news | title=Uber Paid Hackers to Delete Stolen Data on 57 Million People | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-21/uber-concealed-cyberattack-that-exposed-57-million-people-s-data | work=Bloomberg News | date=November 21, 2017 | url-access=subscription | archive-date=November 21, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171121220601/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-21/uber-concealed-cyberattack-that-exposed-57-million-people-s-data | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | url=https://business.financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/uber-reveals-coverup-of-hack-affecting-57m-riders-drivers-2 | title=Uber reveals coverup of hack affecting 57M riders, drivers | first=Michael | last=Liedtke | agency=Associated Press | work=Financial Post | date=November 22, 2017 | archive-date=September 8, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908164515/https://business.financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/uber-reveals-coverup-of-hack-affecting-57m-riders-drivers-2 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}} In September 2018, in the largest multi-state settlement of a data breach, Uber paid $148 million to the Federal Trade Commission, and admitted that internal access to consumers' personal information was closely monitored on an ongoing basis was false, and stated that it had failed to live up to its promise to provide reasonable security for consumer data.{{Cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/uber-to-pay-148-million-penalty-to-settle-2016-data-breach-1537983127 | title=Uber to Pay $148 Million Penalty to Settle 2016 Data Breach | last=Al-Muslim | first=Aisha | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=September 26, 2018 | issn=0099-9660 | archive-date=September 27, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927030837/https://www.wsj.com/articles/uber-to-pay-148-million-penalty-to-settle-2016-data-breach-1537983127 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all}} In November 2018, Uber's British divisions were fined £385,000 (reduced to £308,000) by the Information Commissioner's Office.{{cite web | url=https://ico.org.uk/media/action-weve-taken/mpns/2553890/uber-monetary-penalty-notice-26-november-2018.pdf | title=Monetary Penalty Notice (Uber) | publisher=Information Commissioner's Office | date=27 November 2018 | archive-date=November 28, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128164802/https://ico.org.uk/media/action-weve-taken/mpns/2553890/uber-monetary-penalty-notice-26-november-2018.pdf | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }}
In 2020, the US Department of Justice announced criminal charges against former Chief Security Officer Joe Sullivan for obstruction of justice. The criminal complaint said Joe Sullivan arranged with Travis Kalanick's knowledge, to pay a ransom for the 2016 breach as a "bug bounty" to conceal its true nature, and for the hackers to falsify non-disclosure agreements to say they had not obtained any data.{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/08/20/904113981/former-uber-executive-charged-with-paying-hush-money-to-conceal-massive-breach |title=Former Uber Executive Charged With Paying 'Hush Money' To Conceal Massive Breach | first=SHANNON | last=BOND | work=NPR | date=August 20, 2020}}
= Privacy =
In July 2017, Uber received a five-star privacy rating from the Electronic Frontier Foundation,{{cite web | url=https://www.eff.org/who-has-your-back-2017 | title=Who Has Your Back? Government Data Requests 2017 | first=Rainey | last=Reitman | work=Electronic Frontier Foundation | date=July 10, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915003333/https://www.eff.org/who-has-your-back-2017 | archive-date=September 15, 2018 | url-status=live | df=mdy-all }} but was harshly criticized by the group in September 2017 for a controversial policy of tracking customers' locations even after a ride ended, forcing the company to reverse its policy.{{Cite web |last=Gebhart |first=Kurt Opsahl and Gennie|title=In A Win For Privacy, Uber Restores User Control Over Location-Sharing |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/09/win-privacy-uber-restores-user-control-over-location-sharing| website=Electronic Frontier Foundation | date=September 18, 2017}}
In January 2024, Uber was fined 10 million euros ($11 million) by the Dutch Data Protection Authority for violating privacy regulations pertaining to the personal data of its drivers. The authority determined that Uber had failed to provide clear information in its terms and conditions regarding the duration for which it retained drivers' personal data, as well as the measures taken to secure this data when transmitting it to undisclosed entities outside the European Economic Area.{{Cite web |date=February 1, 2024 |title=Dutch watchdog fines Uber 10 mln euros over privacy regulations infringement Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/dutch-watchdog-fines-uber-10-mln-euros-over-privacy-regulations-infringement-2024-01-31/ |website=Reuters}}
In August 2024, Uber was fined €290m euros ($324 million) by the Dutch Data Protection Authority for transferring the personal data of European drivers to US servers in breach of the GDPR.{{cite news |author1=Khalil |first=Hafsa |date=26 August 2024 |title=Uber fined €290m for personal data transfer |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy76v561g48o |publisher=BBC}}
= Labor =
In February 2023, Uber drivers went on strike in the US and UK to protest wages and fees. They were joined by drivers from Lyft and DoorDash delivery workers.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-14 |title=Date night strike: Thousands of US, UK delivery, ride-hailing drivers stop work on Valentine's Day |url=https://apnews.com/article/uber-lyft-drivers-strike-valentines-day-e22eee6bb6c008a7dc05a32061e8ab55 |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=AP News |language=en}}
= Uber One lawsuit =
In April 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Uber, alleging that it engaged in deceptive billing practices related to the Uber One service. According to the complaint, Uber enrolled some of its customers in the $9.99 monthly service without their consent, and used unlawful tactics to make cancellation difficult for consumers.{{Cite news |last=Tan |first=Eli |date=2025-04-21 |title=FTC Sues Uber Over Billing for Its Uber One Subscription Service |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/technology/uber-one-lawsuit-ftc.html |access-date=2025-04-22 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}
= Ads and promotions =
In March 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported a trend of popular service apps like Uber emphasizing higher margin advertising to increase profits. The reporting mentioned Uber personalizing content based on user data and maintain the balance between increasing ad revenue and annoying and turning away customers. It noted that Uber was showing customers one ad per trip and how it tried to implement push alerts before moving away from them given the response from customers.{{Cite news |last=Rana |first=Preetika |title=Uber and Instacart Are Showing More Ads in Their Apps. Not All Customers Like It. |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/uber-lyft-instacart-app-ads-users-97b096e2 |access-date=2024-03-08 |work=WSJ |language=en-US}}
= Passenger Safety and Sexual Assault Lawsuits (2024) =
In February 2024, a multidistrict litigation (MDL) was established in the Northern District of California against Uber Technologies, Inc., consolidating numerous claims from among the more than 3,000 sexual assault lawsuits filed against the company in state and federal courts.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-04 |title=Uber Sexual Assault Lawsuit [2024 Update] - Legal Action for Uber Sexual Assault Victims |url=https://www.torhoermanlaw.com/uber-sexual-assault-lawsuit/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=TorHoerman Law, LLC |language=en}} These lawsuits allege Uber prioritized growth over safety by using inadequate background checks, skipping in-person driver vetting, and failing to invest in preventive measures such as cameras or monitoring systems.{{Cite web |title=In re: Uber Technologies, Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation (MDL No. 3084) |url=https://cand.uscourts.gov/judges/breyer-charles-r-crb/ubermdl/ |website=United States District Court Northern District of California |language=en}} It also claims Uber knowingly put vulnerable passengers, such as intoxicated women, at risk through its marketing and business practices. The litigation seeks injunctive relief, damages and changes to Uber's safety policies. Some survivors have chosen to pursue justice in state courts outside of the MDL, seeking faster resolutions and a more individualized approach.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-21 |title=Uber's Terms of Use Fails to Split Up Mass Sexual Assault Suits |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/ubers-terms-of-use-fails-to-split-up-mass-sexual-assault-suits |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Bloomberg Law |language=en}}
= Wage Theft claims =
In 2020, 5,000 drivers filed wage and hour claims with the California labour commission office against Uber and Lyft, alleging they were misclassified as independent contractors. Rideshare Drivers United in California claim that at least 250,000 individual rideshare drivers in California who drove for the apps between 2016 and 2020 are estimated to be eligible for the settlement for wage theft claims of tens of billions of dollars.{{Cite news |last=Sainato |first=Michael |date=2025-03-26 |title=California Uber and Lyft drivers push for settlement in wage theft claims |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/26/uber-lyft-drivers-wage-theft-settlement-california |access-date=2025-03-26 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
Corporate affairs
= Finances =
class="wikitable floatright" style="text-align: right;"
|+ Uber revenue and net income in billion {{US$|link=yes}}{{citation |url=https://www.businessofapps.com/data/uber-statistics/ |title=Uber Revenue and Usage Statistics (2022) |website=Business of Apps |date=February 26, 2025 |access-date=April 24, 2025}} ! Year!!Revenue!!Net income | ||
2024 | 43.9 | 9.8 |
2023 | 37.3 | 1.8 |
2022 | 31.8 | −{{color|red|9.1}} |
2021 | 17.4 | −{{color|red|0.4}} |
2020 | 11.1 | −{{color|red|6.7}} |
2019 | 14.1 | −{{color|red|8.5}} |
2018 | 11.3 | 1 |
2017 | 7.9 | −{{color|red|4}} |
2016 | 5 | −{{color|red|3.6}} |
2015 | 1.7 | −{{color|red|1.6}} |
2014 | 0.4 | −{{color|red|0.7}} |
Uber has posted hundreds of millions or billions of dollars in losses each year from 2014 until 2022 except for 2018, when it exited from the markets in Russia, China, and Southeast Asia in exchange for stakes in rival businesses.{{citation |author=Jon Russell |title=Uber has already made billions from its exits in China, Russia and Southeast Asia |date=April 12, 2019 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/11/uber-global-exits-billions/ |website=TechCrunch}} By the end of 2022, Uber had US$32.11 billion in assets and $24.03 billion in liabilities. Uber posted annual operating profits in 2023, totaling $1.88 billion,{{cite web | url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1543151/000154315124000012/uber-20231231.htm | title=Uber Technologies, Inc. 2023 Form 10-K Annual Report | publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |date=February 15, 2024}} after accumulating $31.5 billion in operating losses since 2014.{{citation |url=https://www.ft.com/content/dae2b90e-1ba0-4e8f-aabc-34aae4ca05d7 |title=Uber makes first operating profit after racking up $31.5bn of losses |author=Richard Waters |date=August 1, 2023 |website=Financial Times |url-access=subscription}}
class="wikitable"
!Region !Sales in billion $ !Share |
United States and Canada
|23.6 |53.7% |
Europe, the Middle East and Africa
|12.5 |28.5% |
Asia–Pacific
|5.0 |11.5% |
Latin America
|2.8 |6.4% |
class="wikitable"
|+Sales by business segment (2024) !Business segment !Sales in billion $ !Share |
Mobility
|25.1 |57.0% |
Delivery
|13.8 |31.3% |
Freight
|5.1 |11.7% |
Gallery
{{Gallery
| width=180 | height=170
| align=center
| File:Uber ride Bogota (10277864666).jpg|An Uber driver in Bogotá, Colombia with the Uber app on a dashboard-mounted smartphone
| File:Jupiter clipper uberboat.jpg|Uber Boat by Thames Clippers on River Thames, London
}}
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
Scholarly papers
- {{Cite journal | first1=Christofer | last1=Laurell | first2=Christian | last2=Sandström | title=Analysing Uber in social media – disruptive technology or institutional disruption? | journal=International Journal of Innovation Management | volume=20 | issue=5 | pages=1640013 | date=June 28, 2016| doi=10.1142/S1363919616400132 | url=http://hj.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1043806&dswid=47113880 | doi-access=free }}
- {{cite journal | last=McGaughey | first=E.| title=Uber, the Taylor Review, mutuality, and the duty to not misrepresent employment status | date=2018| journal=Industrial Law Journal| ssrn=3018516}}
- {{cite web | first=Georgios | last=Petropoulos | title=Uber and the economic impact of sharing economy platforms | url=https://www.bruegel.org/2016/02/uber-and-the-economic-impact-of-sharing-economy-platforms/ | publisher=Bruegel | date=February 22, 2016}}
- {{cite journal |last1=Noto La Diega |first1=Guido |title=Uber law and awareness by design. An empirical study on online platforms and dehumanised negotiations |journal=Revue européenne de droit de la consommation/ European Journal of Consumer Law | date=2016 |volume=2016 |issue=II |pages=383–413 | url=http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/27866/1/Guido-REDC.pdf | via=Northumbria Research Link}}
- {{cite book |first1=Juliana Carreiro Corbal |last1=Oitaven |first2=Rodrigo de Lacerda |last2=Carelli |first3=Cássio Luís |last3=Casagrande| url=https://csb.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CONAFRET_WEB-compressed.pdf |title=Empresas de transporte, plataformas digitais e a relação de emprego: um estudo do trabalho subordinado sob aplicativos | year=2018| location=Brasília |publisher=Ministério Público do Trabalho |isbn=9788566507270 |language=pt}}
- {{cite journal|last=Rogers | first=B. | title=The Social Costs of Uber | date=2015| volume=82 |journal=University of Chicago Law Review Dialogue |page=85 |ssrn=2608017}}
Books
- {{cite book|last=Isaac|first=Mike|date=2019|title=Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber|location=New York|publisher=W. W. Norton|isbn=978-0393652246}}
- {{Cite book |last=Stone |first=Brad |author-link=Brad Stone (journalist) | url=https://search.worldcat.org/title/953598607 |title=The Upstarts: How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley are Changing the World | year=2017 |isbn=9780316388399 | edition=1st |publisher=Little, Brown and Company |location=New York}}
Articles
- [https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/jul/11/uber-files-whistleblower-lobbyist-mark-macgann The Uber whistleblower: I’m exposing a system that sold people a lie]. The Guardian. July 11, 2022.
= Further viewing =
- [https://www.pbs.org/video/driven-iqgrcz/ Playing by the Rules: Ethics at Work: Season 3 Episode 1: "Driven"] PBS, October 3, 2019
External links
{{commons category|Uber (company)}}
{{Wikinews category}}
- {{Official website}}
{{Finance links
| name = Uber Technologies, Inc.
| symbol = UBER
| reuters = UBER.N
| bloomberg = UBER:US
| sec_cik = 1543151
| yahoo = UBER
| google = UBER:NYSE
}}
{{Uber|state=expanded}}
{{Platform economy}}
{{Major Internet companies}}
{{Dow Jones Transportation Average}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2009 establishments in California
Category:2019 initial public offerings
Category:American companies established in 2009
Category:Companies based in San Francisco
Category:Location-based software
Category:Companies in the Dow Jones Transportation Average
Category:Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange
Category:Ridesharing companies of the United States