Drivers working with Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) have expressed concern as the ride-hailing platform officially begins accepting cash payments for rides in the U.S.
‘A Target On Our Head,' Says Uber Driver
With Uber offering cash payments in multiple cities like Los Angeles, Tampa, San Diego and Jacksonville, drivers working with the ride-hailing giant fear for their safety as they could be targets for theft, Business Insider reported on Wednesday.
Sergio Avedian, a driver cited in the report, said that drivers who accumulate relatively large sums of cash could be at risk. "Now, we have a target on our head," he said, pointing to instances of NYC cab drivers being targets of violence, the report suggests.
Uber Says Move Ensures Accessibility
A spokesperson for the company cited in the report said the move would make its platform more accessible to customers as "not everyone has access to a bank account or credit card—and some riders simply prefer paying with cash."
The spokesperson also reiterated the safety of the drivers, calling it a "top priority," adding that customers would need to verify their identities to access the feature via checks on third-party databases and, potentially, ID verification.
It's worth noting that Uber has offered the cash payment mode for years in countries like Brazil and India. As for earnings, Uber will take its share by debiting the driver’s account against future earnings, the report said.
Uber's Self-Driving Expansion, Customers Ditching Human Drivers
The news comes as Uber has been undertaking steps to deploy autonomous cabs on its platform, with the company recently signing a deal with Lucid Group Inc. (NASDAQ:LCID) and Nuro Inc. to deploy robotaxis in the U.S. over the next six years.
Uber has also invested in Nuro, with the company's latest funding round raising over $203 million and taking the valuation of the self-driving startup to over $6 billion.
Uber also recently shared that customers in Atlanta, where the company offers Robotaxis in collaboration with Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) autonomous cab service Waymo, were ditching human drivers in favor of Waymos.
Dara Khosrowshahi Expresses Doubt Over Camera-Based Autonomy
Meanwhile, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has expressed his doubts about achieving autonomy with a camera-only system for self-driving cars rather than LiDAR, something that Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) uses on its Robotaxis.
His comments drew criticism from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who defended the company's decision to stick to camera-based autonomous driving due to concerns about LiDAR's efficacy in extreme weather.
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