📰 Senior-Friendly Apps + Self-Driving Partnerships

May 04, 2025

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Uber partners with May Mobility to launch robotaxis in U.S. cities. Waymo and Toyota team up to bring self-driving tech to personal vehicles. Uber introduces a simplified app for seniors, beating Lyft. Lyft rolls out an AI earnings assistant to help drivers boost income. DoorDash’s bid for Deliveroo signals the end of Europe’s food delivery boom. We break it all down for you.

Uber and Lyft Launch Simpler Interface for Seniors

Image source: Lyft

SOURCE – Bloomberg (Paywall free)

Uber and Lyft have both introduced streamlined versions of their rideshare app designed to make it easier for older adults to use. The new interfaces include larger text, easier-to-find saved destinations, and fewer home screen buttons. Uber is piloting the app in Phoenix and Orlando before expanding to more cities, while Lyft’s release is nationwide.

  • Uber is also expanding its family profile types to include seniors, allowing caregivers to manage rides and payments for older adults.

  • While the apps are tailored for seniors, there are currently no additional driver vetting or vehicle accessibility requirements specific to this service during the initial pilot.

  • Lyft collaborated with advocacy groups and local organizations to design its senior-friendly app interface. The company is also partnering with community groups to offer discounted rides for older adults.

Uber Teams Up With May Mobility to Launch Robotaxis in U.S. Cities

Image source: Uber Newsroom

SOURCE – Reuters

Uber announced a partnership with self-driving technology startup May Mobility to deploy thousands of autonomous vehicles on its rideshare platform across U.S. cities, starting in Arlington, Texas, by late 2025. The partnership will initially use U.S.-made gasoline-electric hybrid Toyota Sienna minivans, with safety drivers present before transitioning to fully autonomous operations.

  • The startup has been operating in Arlington since 2021 and also announced a similar collaboration with Lyft for deployment in Atlanta, Georgia.

  • Uber recently expanded its partnership with Waymo and signed new deals with Chinese companies WeRide and Avride, as investors grow interest in autonomous vehicles.

  • May has raised over $380 million from investors including Toyota and BMW.”

Waymo, Toyota Strike Partnership To Bring Self-Driving Tech To Personal Vehicles

Image source: Waymo Newsroom

SOURCE – CNBC

Waymo and Toyota have announced a preliminary partnership to explore integrating robotaxi technology into personally-owned vehicles. The collaboration aims to combine Waymo’s autonomous driving expertise with Toyota’s vehicle manufacturing prowess to accelerate the development of self-driving tech for personal vehicles.

  • This partnership reflects what might be the future of rideshare: Personally-owned vehicles, equipped with self-driving technology, providing the majority of rideshare trips a decade from now and beyond.

  • This partnership adds to Waymo’s existing collaborations with other automakers like Jaguar Land Rover, Stellantis, and Hyundai.

  • The move comes as competitors like GM and Tesla are also focusing on developing autonomous systems for personal vehicles.

Lyft’s Ai ‘Earnings Assistant’ Offers Ideas About How Drivers Can Make More Money

Image source: Lyft Newsroom

SOURCE – The Verge

Lyft has launched an AI chatbot tool called “Earnings Assistant” designed to help drivers optimize their time on the road and potentially increase their earnings. The feature uses real-time data on airport arrivals, local events, and other factors to create personalized driving plans.

  • The tool is currently in early access, where drivers can join a waitlist to use it.

  • The Earnings Assistant can create time-blocked visuals showing drivers where they’ll be and when they can expect higher earnings during “Turbo” times.

  • The tool allows drivers to input specific parameters, such as time constraints and preferred locations, to generate tailored driving plans.

DoorDash’s Bid for Deliveroo Marks End of Europe’s Food Delivery Boom

Image source: Harry Tucker/Pexels

SOURCE – Bloomberg (Paywall free)

DoorDash’s $3.6 billion takeover bid for Deliveroo marks the latest in a series of unspectacular deals in the European food delivery sector, signaling the end of the pandemic-era boom. This consolidation trend reflects the challenging nature of the food delivery industry in Europe, where thin margins, stringent labor laws, and high wages make profitability difficult. ‘

  • The sector is now seeing larger survivors acquiring smaller companies at lower valuations compared to typical tech acquisitions.

  • European delivery companies have faced fierce competition and struggled with post-pandemic market conditions.

  • Industry experts suggest that Europe may need to adopt models from other regions, such as integrating additional services beyond food delivery, to improve profitability.

Lyft is Actively Working to Stop Surge Pricing

Lyft Stopping Surge Pricing

Lyft drivers, have you noticed less Lyft Prime Time surge pricing when you drive? Well it’s no coincidence, in an annual letter to shareholders, Lyft CEO David Risher wrote that surge pricing is “deeply unpopular” with customers and that the company was doing whatever it could to prevent surge pricing from happening. Learn more from the YouTube Short!

QUICK HITS

  • DoorDash has filed a motion to dismiss Uber’s lawsuit alleging anti-competitive practices, arguing that the claims lack merit and are merely a tactic by a frustrated competitor, with a court hearing scheduled for July 11 in San Francisco. – TechCrunch

  • Uber faces potential fines and rider refunds in Chicago after admitting to incorrectly charging a $1.50 downtown congestion fee outside designated hours, prompting a city investigation to determine the extent of overcharging. – Chicago Sun Times

  • Waymo’s new peer-reviewed study claims its fully autonomous vehicles outperform human drivers in safety across various crash scenarios after 56.7 million miles of operation in four major US cities. – The Verge

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