Weekend Roundup: Lyft Scraps Feature That Let Drivers See Passenger Tipping Habits

Lyft scraps controversial tip transparency feature after passenger backlash. ICE agents spotted in rideshare lots, as drivers with unclear legal status are now at risk of deportation. San Francisco voters now overwhelmingly support robotaxis. Lyft announces partnership to own and operate hundreds of Tensor robotaxis. Uber Freight cuts jobs.

We break it all down for you.

Lyft Scraps Feature That Let Drivers See Passenger Tipping Habits

SOURCE – News Nation

Lyft has abandoned a test feature that showed drivers how often passengers tip before they accept ride requests. The feature displayed a small banner at the bottom of the app showing the percentage of rides a passenger tipped on, alongside their punctuality rating.

• This new data point was meant to help drivers prioritize high-value customers, but it sparked immediate backlash from passengers who felt their privacy was being violated and that the feature put unfair pressure on them to tip.

• A Lyft spokesperson confirmed the company was only testing the feature with a “limited number” of drivers and planned to evaluate data before deciding on broader rollout.

• Some passengers argued on Reddit that the feature was “psychological manipulation” and that Lyft should just “pay drivers better” instead of creating systems that encourage drivers to cherry-pick riders based on tipping history.

ICE Spotted Rideshare Lot as Federal Agents Expand Operations Targeting Drivers

SOURCE – /r/UberDrivers on Reddit

Federal immigration agents have been reported in the rideshare waiting lot at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, marking a new front in the Trump administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz” enforcement campaign that has swept through the Chicago area since September. Multiple rideshare drivers have reported ICE presence in the TNC staging area, where drivers wait for ride requests.

• Similar ICE operations have been documented at Miami International Airport’s Uber lot in May 2025, where officers were reportedly checking the papers and IDs of drivers waiting for ride requests.

• For rideshare drivers, this represents a new vulnerability: airport waiting lots are controlled-access areas where drivers congregate in large numbers, making them easy targets for immigration enforcement. Drivers with pending immigration cases or work authorization may still face detention, as one immigration attorney noted: “Having a work permit does not equate to legal status.”

San Francisco Goes All-In on Waymo as Robotaxi Support Surges

SOURCE – The San Francisco Standard

San Francisco has officially flipped its sentiment on robotaxis. A new poll from GrowSF shows that two-thirds of San Francisco voters now support fully autonomous vehicles operating in the city, a massive jump from 2023, when fewer than half supported them. Opposition has dropped from over 50% in 2023 to just 29% today.

• When asked why they support AVs, 30% of respondents said driverless cars are safer than human drivers, and 16% said they’re safer than rideshare.

• For drivers, this is a clear signal: robotaxis aren’t going away, and public sentiment is rapidly shifting in their favor. For instance, in the Bay Area, parents are already using Waymo as a “robot chauffeur” for their kids.

Lyft to Own and Operate Hundreds of Tensor Robotaxis Starting in 2027

SOURCE – Bloomberg (Paywall free)

Lyft announced a major partnership with autonomous vehicle developer Tensor Auto to deploy hundreds of robotaxis across Europe and North America starting in 2027. This is Lyft’s first deal where it will actually purchase and operate its own fleet of autonomous vehicles, marking a major departure from its asset-light business model.

• The Tensor Robocars are equipped with over 100 sensors, including cameras, lidars, and radars, and they process data using Nvidia AI chips. The vehicles will feature Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities and are designed to be “Lyft-ready.”

• Lyft has reserved hundreds of Robocars for its own fleet operations, with first deliveries planned for late 2026 (subject to regulatory approvals).

• The partnership will also make Lyft’s platform available on all Tensor vehicles owned by consumers.

Uber Freight Cuts Jobs in Commercial Reorganization

SOURCE – FreightWaves

Uber Freight confirmed it eliminated a small number of positions this week as part of a commercial reorganization under newly appointed Chief Commercial Officer D’Andrae Larry. The layoffs impacted roles in commercial sales, marketing, and business development, though the company did not specify the exact number of affected employees.

• Larry was appointed to the Chief Commercial Officer role on October 1 as part of a broader initiative to refine and integrate Uber Freight’s market approach.

• This marks the latest in a series of layoffs at Uber Freight, which cut around 150 jobs in its digital brokerage operations in 2023 and another 50 employees in mid-2024.

Did Uber Tell a Driver to Make an Illegal U-Turn?

SOURCE – YouTube Shorts

An Uber driver was making a routine pickup in Staten Island, New York City, when his app told him to make a U-turn. There was just one problem: a city sign right there said “No U-turn.”

The driver followed Uber’s instructions anyway and hit a man on his electric scooter, launching him into a parked car. The scooter operator suffered a fractured spine requiring several surgeries.

Now that man, John Tsang, is suing both the driver and Uber for damages stemming from the crash. Learn more by watching the YouTube Short!

QUICK HITS

• OpenAI announced that Uber, Uber Eats, and DoorDash will integrate with ChatGPT later this year, allowing the chatbot’s users to order rides and food delivery through prompts. – Grocery Dive

• New York City regulators extended Waymo’s autonomous vehicle testing permit through December 2025, allowing up to eight Jaguar I-Pace vehicles to operate in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn with safety operators behind the wheel. – TechCrunch

• Want to learn more about the robotaxi industry? Subscribe to The Driverless Digest, our new newsletter and podcast dedicated to the future of autonomous vehicles.

Must Listen Or Watch RSG Content

Here are this week’s featured podcast episode and YouTube videos:

• RSG266: Tower Mobility: The Uber Partner Paying Drivers $25/Hour + Benefits

• Uber’s Big Preference Update Explained

• Why I Stopped Requesting Cleaning Fees And You Probably Should Too

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