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NEW YORK (AP) – Uber passengers can now enjoy more spacious driving and a less talkative driver – if they are willing to pay a few extra dollars.
The US giant launched Tuesday rides "comfort" in dozens of cities. Motorcyclists enjoy 36 inches of legroom in "newer" cars, that is, those under five, and they may request an air temperature preferred. Runners can also use the app to tell drivers that they do not want to argue, thus avoiding what some consider to be a delicate exchange.
Uber responds to the demands of business travelers and others who claim to simply want to work or rest peacefully when traveling to the airport.
"It's a way to set expectations in advance (…), it takes a bit of process work," said Aydin Ghajar, senior product manager at Uber.
At the start of the race, when the drivers of Uber and his main American rival, Lyft, started looking for riders in their personal cars, they were often talkative, asking many questions to drivers.
"It was so new and innovative that many people were curious to see what they were doing (the drivers)," said Harry Campbell, founder of The Rideshare Guy, a blog and online community for the pilots. "Over the years, this has become more transactional."
Uber launched a "silent mode" for Uber Black – its premium car service – in May, which left some drivers feeling like robots.
"Some drivers like that, they do not want to have to look at social signals," said Campbell. "Other drivers think it's a little dehumanizing … I feel like in our society, everything turns into an application and we lose the lost art of conversation."
Comfort journeys cost 20% to 40% more in time and distance than standard Uber X routes.
This decision could help Uber increase its revenues, which could prompt the company to move closer to its profitability.
"I think it might help to increase those numbers a little bit, and maybe give some Wall Street analysts something more to keep up to be optimistic, given the fact that the company is still not there. profitable. Said Daniel Morgan, vice president of Synovus Trust Company.
Uber has not yet made a profit and lost $ 1 billion in the first quarter of 2019. The executives said it could take years to make money.
It's unclear if the benefits offered by Uber Comfort will be enough to convince bikers to spend more money. A five-year-old car is not really "newer", it's rather "middle-aged," Morgan said. And with 6 feet 5 inches tall, extra legroom would not really be enough for Morgan – but that might be enough for people of average height, he said.
"They could try once and see if it was really an improvement and worth it," Morgan said. "If they can not deliver it and it's not so much more comfortable, then it's like everything's fine, I'm not really going to pay for it."
Uber refused to provide an average age for its drivers' cars, and the age requirements for vehicles vary from city to city.
Uber's smallest rival, Lyft, offers "Lyft Lux" rides, which are high-end sedans or SUVs with leather seats and more legroom. Lux cars are driven by drivers of 4.85 or more stars and cost more than a standard trip in Lyft or less expensive, shared ride from the company. But bikers do not have the choice to ask for a quiet ride without conversation.
Uber already offers high-end products that are more expensive than the basic Uber X. For example, Uber Black includes high-end cars driven by professional drivers and offers a "silent mode". Families or groups of six can choose Uber XL to pick up a van. or SUV. Uber Select connects runners with highly rated drivers. In contrast, Uber Pool is the cheapest option, but passengers must share the car with passengers heading to other destinations.
Uber says its Uber Black product will typically cost more than Uber Comfort, but specific prices will vary by city.
Drivers who meet the requirements can earn about 20% more on a Uber Comfort ride than on a Uber X ride, said Uber spokesman Steve Imm. But some drivers earned less with a Uber Comfort driver because their cars qualified for the more expensive Uber Select or Uber XL options and they could not easily retire from the Uber Comfort option, Campbell said. Drivers will now be able to disable Uber Comfort with the help of the app, Imm said.
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