Weekly Roundup: House Panel Probes Uber’s Handling of Sexual Assault

House lawmakers open an inquiry into Uber’s handling of sexual assault reports. Lyft fights NYC’s “just cause” driver deactivation bill. Uber sees growth opportunities with non-takeout deliveries. Lucid delivers the first Gravity robotaxi to Nuro for Uber’s planned 20,000-vehicle AV fleet. Uber launches prepaid route passes. We break this all down for you.

House Panel Probes Uber’s Handling of Sexual Assault

SOURCE – The New York Times

A House oversight subcommittee launched an inquiry into Uber’s processes for identifying, responding to, and disclosing sexual assault and misconduct, citing reporting that incidents occur far more often than previously disclosed. Court documents referenced show 400,181 U.S. trips with sexual assault and misconduct reports from 2017–2022, about one every eight minutes.

• Uber says 99.9% of trips are incident-free and that about 75% of reports are “less serious,” noting the data is unaudited and may include fraudulent claims.

• A central legal question is platform responsibility for driver misconduct, since rideshare drivers are independent contractors, an issue that could reshape insurance, training, and background-check standards.

• Lawmakers are eyeing requirements for rideshare companies, including improved matching, video recording, and gender-pairing options.

Lyft Fights NYC ‘Just Cause’ Deactivation Bill on Safety Grounds

SOURCE – AM New York

Lyft is opposing Intro. 276, a NYC Council bill requiring “just cause” and 14 days’ notice before deactivating for-hire drivers, arguing the delay could keep unsafe drivers on the road. The company says it currently deactivates accounts upon serious reports and holds them during investigations, warning the proposed process would slow removals for allegations like harassment or reckless driving.

• Today, many deactivations occur immediately or via temporary holds, while document issues can be resolved in-app; the bill would add notice and appeals.

• The fight echoes concerns from other app sectors facing mass deactivations, signaling potential precedent beyond rideshare.

• For drivers, the bill is intended to improve job security and transparency, especially in an era where passengers may make false or misleading claims about drivers in an effort to get a refund.

Uber Sees Non-Takeout Deliveries Becoming $12.5B Business

SOURCE – Bloomberg

Uber projects grocery and retail delivery to reach a $12.5 billion gross bookings run rate by year-end 2025, up 25% from the $10 billion run rate it shared in May, signaling faster-than-expected growth outside restaurants. The goal underscores a push to narrow gaps with Instacart, DoorDash, and Amazon in non-restaurant categories. Uber framed this as guidance ahead of formal 2025 results, which will be disclosed in February 2026.

• The upgraded outlook highlights accelerating adoption of non-restaurant use cases within Uber’s Delivery segment.

• Uber Eats has expanded its relationship with grocers, including Aldi in the U.S., and has offered discounts and incentives to customers who purchase groceries via Uber Eats.

Lucid, Nuro, Uber Start 20,000-Vehicle Gravity Robotaxi Plan

SOURCE – CBT News

Lucid delivered the first Gravity robotaxi SUV to Nuro, kicking off a six-year plan to deploy 20,000 Level 4 robotaxis into Uber’s network. Uber is investing $300 million in Lucid to support the rollout, with initial scaling targeted for 2026 and thousands of robotaxis expected in subsequent years.

• Nuro will equip the Gravity with advanced sensors and autonomy hardware, enabling driverless operation in defined conditions.

• The Gravity fleet will be available on the Uber app, further accelerating the rideshare company’s shift from human-driven rideshare.

• A sustained rollout of robotaxis could shift network supply dynamics, with potential implications for pricing, incentives, and driver utilization.

Uber Launches Prepaid Passes for Frequent Routes

SOURCE – The Verge

Uber introduced prepaid passes that let riders buy bundles of 5, 10, 15, or 20 trips on a fixed route at a discount of 5%–20%. Customers choose a one-hour request window and see a countdown of remaining passes, with the rollout starting in 75 cities.

• Uber markets the passes by contrasting a typical fare with surge peaks (e.g., a Lower Manhattan–Midtown ride around $19 that can hit $30), with bulk buyers shielded from those inflated prices.

• Operational details include selecting a one-hour window for eligible rides and an in-app countdown tracker, with initial availability spanning markets like Chicago, Denver, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis, and Tampa Bay.

• Uber also announced teen ride passes and Eats “Meal Deals” at $15 or less using batched prep, trading lower prices for potentially longer delivery times.

Uber Drivers Already Getting Screwed Over by Cash Trip Passengers

SOURCE – YouTube Shorts

Uber recently rolled out cash trips, and some drivers are already reporting being stiffed by passengers. Learn more by watching the YouTube Short!

QUICK HITS

• Lyft paid $19.4 million to New Jersey to resolve an audit alleging it misclassified more than 100,000 drivers as contractors from 2014 to 2017, after withdrawing its bid to contest the findings. – Reuters

• Rapido, an Indian ride-hailing app competing with Uber, now sports a $2.3 billion valuation following Swiggy’s stake sale. – Techcrunch

• The Motley Fool ponders whether its worth dropping Uber stock to invest in Lyft instead. – Motley Fool

• 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

• Lyft Added Rider Tipping % (Here’s What Happened…)

• DON’T Drive Uber This Day Of The Week!

• Cash Rides = Big Problems for Uber Drivers (Real Receipts Inside)

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