For the past decade, Uber’s annual Lost & Found Index has provided a unique snapshot of its riders. The report catalogues millions of forgotten items, ranging from mundane modern-day tools to more eyebrow-raising objects like live fish and a single Louboutin shoe.
This year, Uber is highlighting the same old problem with a new twist: robotaxis. Thousands of items were left behind in robotaxis on Uber’s ride-hailing network in the past year.
The usual suspects of phones, keys, wallets, passports, and headphones made up part of the lost items. However, there were also some more unusual finds, including a set of dentures, an ‘I Heart Hot Dads’ bag, and a blue hat that reads ‘Emotional Support Human.’
Beyond the entertaining list lies a business opportunity for Uber. As the company continues to scale its autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, it has spent the past several years locking up partnerships with AV companies.
The launch of Waymo on Uber’s robotaxi service in Austin marked a significant milestone for the company. Since then, Uber and Waymo have started a robotaxi service in Atlanta, while other AV companies like Motional and Avride have been added to the app.
These services still have human safety operators behind the wheel, but they give some sense of just how many robotaxi rides have been completed on Uber’s app. The thousands of lost items logged by Uber in just 12 months highlight the need for a robust support network.
When an Uber rider forgets belongings in a robotaxi, the process for recovering them is similar to any other Uber ride: open the app, click the activity tab, select the trip during which the item was lost, and contact customer support.
Riders can then message, chat, or call a support agent. If the item is located, they have two options: pay $15 for an Uber Courier driver to provide same-day local delivery, or pick up the belonging in person from an AV depot.
Uber’s existing network is set up to reunite riders with their lost items, including a 15-pound yo-yo and a Squishmallow. The company has spent the last decade building systems that help riders quickly and seamlessly reunite with their belongings.
As autonomous rides continue to scale on Uber, the company is bringing its expertise to AVs. This includes combining fleet operations, support teams, and hybrid networks to make getting lost items back simple, even when there’s no driver behind the wheel.
Uber has announced plans to offer robotaxi rides through its app in as many as 15 cities globally by the end of the year. The company intends to be the largest facilitator of AV trips in the world by 2029.
Source: Original article