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Uber reportedly stalked Lyft drivers using secret ‘Hell’ software
Uber Technologies Inc. allegedly used a secret software to track drivers for rival ride-sharing company Lyft Inc., according to a report in The Information.
In the report, The Information claims that Uber secretly tracked Lyft drivers between 2014 and 2016 using a software called “Hell,” whose name is apparently a play on Uber’s “God View” software that tracks its own drivers.
The Hell software could supposedly track how many Lyft drivers were available to take passengers in a given area and where exactly those drivers were located. This knowledge could be incredibly valuable to Uber, giving the ride-sharing company insight into locations where Lyft is strongest or where Lyft could have potential blind spots.
Hell could also track which drivers worked for both Lyft and Uber, and Uber may have used this information to lure drivers away from its rival by sending them more riders.
Citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, The Information said Hell was created by Uber’s competitive intelligence group, also known as COIN. The sources claim that only a handful of people in the company knew of the program, including Chief Executive Travis Kalanick.
When contacted about the report, a Lyft spokesperson told The Information, “We are in a competitive industry. However, if true, these allegations are very concerning.”
Uber has yet to comment on the allegations in the report, but if they are accurate, the company could potentially face legal trouble for unfair business practices.
Uber’s bad year
The report by The Information adds yet another problem to Uber’s long line of troubles this year.
In February, a former employee accused the company of covering up sexual harassment, which reignited the #DeleteUber movement. That same month, self-driving car startup Waymo LLC filed a lawsuit accusing Uber and its subsidiary Otto Trucking LLC of stealing trade secrets related to its LiDAR technology.
In March, Uber President Jeff Jones left the company, saying in a statement, “It is now clear, however, that the beliefs and approach to leadership that have guided my career are inconsistent with what I saw and experienced at Uber, and I can no longer continue as president of the ride sharing business.”
Photo: Uber
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