Uber 3.0 Uber found an outdated system that rightfully needed fixing, and the path that they set out- whereby driverless cars are the endgame-could solve many of the transport issues that we are facing today. Uber’s problem, therefore, is not where it is going, but rather how it is trying to get there. At present, Uber is in a confused limbo, as it is neither employing nor taking care of humans, but it cannot exist without human drivers either. Uber has two simple options: either admit what it has become or become what it is claiming to be. The latter of the two, whereby Uber would start to behave like a platform, seems more cost-efficient. This way, Uber would not manipulate the drivers to keep driving and picking up passengers through an addictive app but instead provide a platform where drivers can set their own prices, and Uber only charges a fee for the service it provides. This may not allow the company to exert as much force as it would like to, but does enable it to focus on creating new legislation for self-driving cars, as well as work together with governments rather than against them. This would be the most straightforward approach for Uber to easily take care of its employees and communities. The future after this chaotic period looks much brighter. If Uber replaced its fleet of “partners” with fully autonomous self-driving cars, it would genuinely add value to the communities they operate in and start creating some healthy profits. At the time of writing, however, Uber has not yet achieved these goals. Self-driving cars would solve many traffic issues regardless of who owns those cars. While privately-owned cars stand still most of the time, thus taking up valuable space in our seemingly ever-growing cities, shared vehicles do not have to. Ridesharing companies such as Uber are the perfect candidates to make meaningful progress towards this future, together with better public transportation and increased usage of things such as bikes for shorter rides. 43 Social and ecological developments in which Uber could and should play a part;
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