Tag: Uber
Ola given licence to compete with Uber in London
Indian ride-hailing app Ola has been granted permission to operate in London, the firm said. Transport for London granted the company a private hire vehicle operating licence, allowing it to compete with Uber. Ola launched its inaugural UK services in South Wales in August last year and now operates across 21 UK boroughs, serving towns…
Facebook Libra cryptocurrency – your questions answered
Facebook has announced its own form of cryptocurrency called Libra alongside a digital wallet named Calibra. Together, they will allow users to pay for everyday items directly using their smartphone. Martyn Landi reports... Here is a look at how the new digital currency will work. What is Libra? Libra is the name of the new…
Facebook to launch Libra cryptocurrency and digital wallet next year
Facebook has confirmed it is to launch a cryptocurrency next year – backed by the likes of Mastercard, Visa and PayPal – which will allow people to move money from their smartphone. The currency is known as Libra, which the social network says it has “no special role” in governing and will manage the reserve…
Gig economy insurance firm Zego raises £33m for expansion
A tech firm that offers insurance to gig economy workers like Deliveroo riders and Uber drivers has raised 42 million US dollars (£33 million) in funding, the company said. Zego will use the cash to double its workforce from 75 to 150 to take advantage of the growing market, as more workers enter the gig…
Uber Air to test flying taxis in Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne has been chosen as one of the latest testbeds for Uber’s helicopter-like flying ambitions which are due to set off with trials as soon as next year. The Australian city is the third location to be selected and the first outside the US, joining Dallas and Los Angeles as a launch site for its…
Uber forgotten items: Last Supper painting and cat among items left behind!
What's the craziest thing you've left behind in an Uber? Probably an umbrella or more seriously a mobile phone or your front door key. It's probably not your cat, a painting of the Last Supper or a fake skull - just some of the bizarre items reported missing via Uber's lost and found index. Others…
Uber seeks London-based boss to lead new electric bike service
Uber is preparing for the arrival of its electric-assisted bike hiring service in the UK and Ireland, according to a job listing on the company’s website. The ride-hailing giant is searching for a general manager to work in London to “shape and lead” operations for Jump in Britain, an urban mobility firm it bought in…
Waymo launches trial ride-hailing service with self-driving car
Google’s self-driving car spin-off Waymo is finally ready to profit from its nearly decade-old technology with a small-scale ride-hailing service in the Phoenix area of the US. The service, which will include a human behind the wheel in case the autonomous vehicles malfunction, marks a significant milestone for Waymo, a company that began as a secretive…
Uber to provide free transport to NHS staff working over Christmas
(Laura Dale/PA) Uber has announced that it will provide NHS staff in England who are working over the Christmas period with free transport this festive season. The ride sharing firm is offering two journeys costing up to £10 each, in a bid to help workers get to and from work…
Regulator approves thousands of electric cars on UK roads to test energy grid
Uber is one of the partners on the project (Laura Dale/PA) Up to 3,000 electric cars are set to be deployed on UK roads in a bid to understand what the increased demand in electric power will mean for the country’s energy grid. Regulator Ofgem has approved the three-year project…