Uber is rolling out concurrent rides in India, a characteristic that enables customers to ebook as much as three journeys for any of their contacts, TechCrunch has completely discovered and confirmed with the corporate.
The concurrent rides characteristic is the most recent instance of Uber creating merchandise that may seize extra clients, together with those that don’t have the app or perhaps a smartphone. In India, Uber even permits concurrent trip customers to pay drivers straight with money or through the app.
Uber quietly launched the concurrent rides final 12 months in a number of international markets, together with the US. An Uber spokesperson confirmed the brand new characteristic is now out there in India and shall be rolled out within the nation in a phased method. The spokesperson wouldn’t affirm the precise particulars of the cities during which it’s presently out there.
“As we perceive that one might must ebook a trip for his or her liked one similtaneously they’re in an Uber — we launched concurrent rides late final 12 months globally. It permits riders to ebook and monitor as much as three concurrent rides,” an Uber spokesperson stated in an announcement shared with TechCrunch.
As soon as a consumer books a trip for a visitor, these journey particulars could be shared over WhatsApp or a textual content message. The message comprises the motive force’s full identify, cab mannequin and registration quantity, Uber’s contact quantity to succeed in the motive force, a hyperlink to trace the trip, and a four-digit PIN to start out the trip. This eliminates the necessity for friends to make use of the Uber app.
The brand new characteristic may assist Uber develop its market attain. Earlier than the replace, Uber was permitting just one trip reserving at a time, and customers needed to request one other automobile after their present journey ends. It additionally pushes Uber forward of rivals that have been already providing clients to the power to ebook concurrent rides.
Uber’s Indian competitor, Ola, which counts Softbank, Warburg Pincus and DST World amongst its key traders, has allowed two concurrent rides for a while. Nonetheless, the expertise supplied by Ola is restricted because it doesn’t permit customers to make two bookings concurrently utilizing a single on-line fee technique. It is advisable to both select two completely different on-line fee strategies or pay in your concurrent rides through money.
