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.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday June 14 2018, @10:43PM (2 children)
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
Remember, Uber is all about variable pricing.
This will just give them an opportunity to put a loading on the quote, up front.
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 15 2018, @05:36AM
What it's really going to be about is fleecing people under the influence by charging them more, plain and simple.