• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing

2

A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect

3

If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits

1

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing

2

A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect

3

If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
TechUber Technologies

Uber Has a Creative New Way To Distract Drunk Passengers

By
Claire Groden
Claire Groden
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Claire Groden
Claire Groden
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 26, 2016, 8:26 AM ET
Taxi Drivers Protest Possible Uber Expansion In NYC
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 20: An Uber vehicle is viewed in Manhattan on July 20, 2015 in New York City. New York's City Council has proposed two bills last month to limit the number of new for-hire vehicles, as well as to study the rapidly rising industry's impact on traffic. Uber has responded in an open letter arguing that its 6,000 Uber cars out during an average hour are a small part of the city's overall traffic. In cities across the globe Uber has upended the traditional taxi concept with many drivers and governments taking action against the California based company. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)Spencer Platt—Getty Images

This story has been updated to reflect Uber’s response.

Uber may be trying some unusual ways to protect its drivers from drunk passengers.

As concerns over driver safety have increased over the past few months, the ride service is reportedly piloting one solution in the backseats of cars in Charlotte, N.C.: the ’90s toy Bop It.

The Bop It, which instructs the user through a fast-paced series of manipulations (“Bop it! Twist it!”), might distract drunk passengers from harassing their drivers. “An intoxicated rider who is engaged in something interesting is less likely to be irritable and aiming aggression at the driver,” Joe Sullivan, Uber’s chief security officer, told The Guardian. An Uber spokeswoman confirmed that the Bop It initiative was Uber-led and not created by Charlotte drivers.

Uber has fallen under the spotlight this past year after a number of dangerous confrontations. In one November incident, a drunk passenger assaulted his driver after being asked to leave the car—an altercation ending in the driver pulling out and using his pepper spray. Just a few days later, a passenger who appeared to be drunk punched his driver and damaged his vehicle.

Uber is also piloting a new safety mechanism that will track drivers’ speed and acceleration, so that it can verify feedback that complains about speeding drivers. “If the feedback is accurate, then we can get in touch with the driver,” Sullivan wrote in an Uber press release. “And if it’s not, we could use the information to make sure a driver’s rating isn’t affected.”

About the Author
By Claire Groden
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Harvard Law: Anthropic is about to sell a safety mission Wall Street can veto
AIOpenAI
Harvard Law: Anthropic is about to sell a safety mission Wall Street can veto
By Catherina GioinoJune 1, 2026
59 minutes ago
dario
AIAnthropic
Anthropic confidentially files its S-1 first—but the IPO race with OpenAI is just beginning
By Allie GarfinkleJune 1, 2026
59 minutes ago
Florida sues OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman over allegations of marketing ChatGPT despite serious risks of user safety
AIOpenAI
Florida sues OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman over allegations of marketing ChatGPT despite serious risks of user safety
By The Associated PressJune 1, 2026
3 hours ago
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
EnvironmentData centers
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 1, 2026
3 hours ago
g
Economydisruption
Gen Z is losing the most in the AI economy—and Goldman warns it’s about to get worse
By Nick LichtenbergJune 1, 2026
4 hours ago
Anthropic confidentially files for IPO after raising $65 billion in a funding round at a $965 billion valuation
Startups & VentureAnthropic
Anthropic confidentially files for IPO after raising $65 billion in a funding round at a $965 billion valuation
By Bloomberg and Seth FiegermanJune 1, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing
Personal Finance
I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing
By Nick LichtenbergMay 31, 2026
1 day ago
A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect
Environment
A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect
By Brian K. Sullivan and BloombergMay 31, 2026
24 hours ago
If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
Investing
If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
By Shawn TullyMay 31, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
8 hours ago
When loyalty is rewarded: Top earners who stay in their jobs get much larger pay increases than those who switch
Future of Work
When loyalty is rewarded: Top earners who stay in their jobs get much larger pay increases than those who switch
By Jacqueline MunisMay 30, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
8 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.