EternalSunshine1976
Member
Uber Held Liable, Ordered to Pay $8.5 Million in Driver Rape Suit
"Last year, the New York Times reported that Uber received over 400,000 sexual assault and misconduct reports between 2017 and 2022, which was far more than the company had disclosed. In a report last August, Uber said serious sexual assault on the platform had fallen by 44%."
I just read the article about Uber being held liable and ordered to pay $8.5M in a driver rape case. It sounds like this was meant to be a bellwether, and if that's true, it could have pretty serious ripple effects for Uber going forward. There are so many other cases in line, and this case establishes an enormous precedent to find Uber liable in many of those other cases.
I mean, it's "good" they've been able to lower "serious sexual assault" by 44%, but that means there is still 66% still happening? In what world is that a good result?
If courts and juries are increasingly willing to hold the platform responsible for what happens during rides, that's a big shift from the "independent contractor" shield Uber has relied on for years. Even if Uber appeals, the risk profile alone could start to change how investors, insurers, and regulators look at the business.
It also makes me think about autonomous vehicles. This kind of liability is essential sent to 0% if you remove the human driver entirely. That's where companies like Tesla and Waymo benefit. If safety and legal exposure become bigger concerns for ride-hailing, fully autonomous fleets could start to look a lot more attractive, even if the tech isn't perfect yet.
Not saying this flips the switch overnight, but decisions like this seem like they could quietly accelerate the move toward autonomous ride services over time.
"Last year, the New York Times reported that Uber received over 400,000 sexual assault and misconduct reports between 2017 and 2022, which was far more than the company had disclosed. In a report last August, Uber said serious sexual assault on the platform had fallen by 44%."
I just read the article about Uber being held liable and ordered to pay $8.5M in a driver rape case. It sounds like this was meant to be a bellwether, and if that's true, it could have pretty serious ripple effects for Uber going forward. There are so many other cases in line, and this case establishes an enormous precedent to find Uber liable in many of those other cases.
I mean, it's "good" they've been able to lower "serious sexual assault" by 44%, but that means there is still 66% still happening? In what world is that a good result?
If courts and juries are increasingly willing to hold the platform responsible for what happens during rides, that's a big shift from the "independent contractor" shield Uber has relied on for years. Even if Uber appeals, the risk profile alone could start to change how investors, insurers, and regulators look at the business.
It also makes me think about autonomous vehicles. This kind of liability is essential sent to 0% if you remove the human driver entirely. That's where companies like Tesla and Waymo benefit. If safety and legal exposure become bigger concerns for ride-hailing, fully autonomous fleets could start to look a lot more attractive, even if the tech isn't perfect yet.
Not saying this flips the switch overnight, but decisions like this seem like they could quietly accelerate the move toward autonomous ride services over time.
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