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Uber Submits Patent Application for Algorithm to Determine How Drunk Potential Passengers Are

posted by janrinok on Thursday June 14 2018, @09:53PM   Printer-friendly
from the I'll-be-walking-from-now-on dept.

takyon writes:

Uber applies for patent to spot drunk passengers

Taxi app company Uber has applied for a patent to use artificial intelligence to determine how drunk potential passengers might be.

The app used to summon rides could also feed other information to the driver, including a passenger's location, how accurately they are typing and even the angle they are holding their phone at.

It could help drivers who do not want to pick up inebriated riders.

But critics said it could also be used to identify vulnerable passengers.

According to the application to the US patent office, the system would spot "uncharacteristic user activity".

Also at The A.V. Club.

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday June 14 2018, @10:43PM (2 children)

    by takyon (881) <takyonNO@SPAMsoylentnews.org> on Thursday June 14 2018, @10:43PM (#693220) Journal

    It could act as a warning to the driver. "Put the plastic sheeting down and get out the barf bag, you have another live one."

    Except if an Uber driver is picking up a passenger at a certain location and a certain time of the night, they already know they are going to run into drunkards. They don't need a keylogger algorithm to tell them.

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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by MostCynical on Thursday June 14 2018, @11:31PM

    by MostCynical (2589) on Thursday June 14 2018, @11:31PM (#693247) Journal

    Remember, Uber is all about variable pricing.
    This will just give them an opportunity to put a loading on the quote, up front.

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  • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 15 2018, @05:36AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 15 2018, @05:36AM (#693345)

    What it's really going to be about is fleecing people under the influence by charging them more, plain and simple.