Toyota invests $500m in Uber to propel self-driving cars into reality August 28, 2018 Japanese motoring giant Toyota has renewed its dedication to creating a self-driving car network on our streets, to the tune of a $500m (£387.6m) investment in ride-hailing firm Uber. The company said late last night it will expand its partnership with Uber in an effort to bring to market "autonomous ride-sharing as a mobility service at scale", at a time [...]
Netflix hires top Facebook communications executive ahead of international expansion August 27, 2018 Netflix has hired top Facebook executive Rachel Whetstone as its new chief communications officer. Whetstone joined Facebook in September last year to run communications for Whatsapp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger. The former head of policy at Uber and Google will run global communications for the streaming service as it looks to expand internationally. Netflix chief [...]
Thames river bus buoyed by rising tide of London commuters August 27, 2018 Commuting by boat in London hits a major milestone this week with the capital’s river bus service set to carry its 40 millionth passenger. The landmark figure comes at the end of a bumper summer for MBNA Thames Clippers, in which a combination of hot weather and growing waterside property development has increased passenger numbers [...]
TfL welcomes Uber’s embrace of bikes over cars for future strategy August 27, 2018 Transport for London (TfL) has welcomed Uber's announcement that it will shift its focus from cars to electric bikes and scooters, saying it wants to encourage growth in a vital market for the capital. Electric bikes and scooters have become a boom market in London, with the city seeing a number of companies including Ofo and [...]
Chinese ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing suspends its carpooling service after a passenger was killed August 26, 2018 Chinese ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing has suspended its Uber Pool-esque service Hitch nationwide, after a woman was raped and killed by a driver in Wenzhou. The company said in a statement that the suspension was the result of "disappointing mistakes", while it takes time to reevaluate Hitch's business model. A 20-year old woman only identified by [...]
London mayor Sadiq Khan should park the cap on taxis – it’s actually TfL licensing that is clogging up our roads August 24, 2018 Congestion is snarling up London, and Sadiq Khan is right to be worried. Traffic speeds are now well into horse and cart territory. In the morning peak, passengers on the route 15 bus between Tower Hill and Charing Cross are now down to crawling along at an average of 4.2mph. The number of private hire [...]
Opinion: Young families are moving out of London at an alarming rate but they may regret it in a few years time August 23, 2018 Young families in their 30s moving out of London escaping the rat race in search of better value, more space and good schools is nothing new. However, what is surprising is the rate at which this exodus in increasing. Net migration out of the capital – people moving out minus people moving in – was [...]
Credit Suisse fires two London bankers after sexual harassment investigation August 23, 2018 Credit Suisse has fired two City bankers after an investigation into allegations of historic sexual harassment. The bank has fired the senior banker at the centre of the 2010 incident and a second manager who hindered the original investigation. Read more: Uber settles sexual harassment claims for $1.9m The alleged assault took place in 2010 [...]
Hungry? Now you can order from Deliveroo restaurants via Google Maps August 23, 2018 Deliveroo is now firmly embedded in Google Maps, giving London’s workers even less reason to leave their desks at lunchtime. The food delivery firm’s integration with the desktop, mobile web and mobile app versions of Maps means hungry City staff scanning restaurant details online can choose to have their meal of choice delivered directly to [...]
Uber settles sexual harassment claims for $1.9m August 22, 2018 Ride-sharing app Uber has agreed to pay $1.9m (£1.5m) to 56 current and former employees who claimed they were victims of sexual harassment while working at the company. They will also receive an average of nearly $11,000 as part of a class action of 485 people who claimed they were discriminated against while working at [...]