London’s Uber ban has been lifted
The ride-hailer has its license back, but it will be on probation for 15 months.
Some background: Last September, London’s transport regulator declared the ride-hailing firm “not fit and proper” to provide its services in London. Uber never stopped operating in the city, though—it was allowed to continue service during the appeals process.
The ruling: Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthno ruled today that Uber was now fit to operate in the city. But rather than the typical five-year license, it was given a 15-month period to prove it’s made necessary adjustments. It agreed to adopt new regulations and pay Transport for London’s 425,000-pound legal costs.
Why it matters: The case was a major change of pace for Uber. Rather than taking a combative approach, representatives of the company accepted blame, apologized for its actions, and promised to make changes. The ruling could serve as a model for other cities also looking to further regulate ride hailers.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Large language models can do jaw-dropping things. But nobody knows exactly why.
And that's a problem. Figuring it out is one of the biggest scientific puzzles of our time and a crucial step towards controlling more powerful future models.
The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.
Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.
Google DeepMind’s new generative model makes Super Mario–like games from scratch
Genie learns how to control games by watching hours and hours of video. It could help train next-gen robots too.
How scientists traced a mysterious covid case back to six toilets
When wastewater surveillance turns into a hunt for a single infected individual, the ethics get tricky.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.