Uber has announced its intention to acquire SpotHero, a leading parking reservation app in North America. The deal, which is expected to close in the first half of 2026 pending regulatory approval, will integrate SpotHero’s network of over 13,000 garages, lots, and valet services across more than 400 cities in the United States and Canada into the Uber platform. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said SpotHero will “bring more people into the Uber ecosystem.” Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.
SpotHero was founded in 2011 and last raised outside funding in 2019 with a $50 million round led by Macquarie Capital. This acquisition marks a significant exit for the Chicago-based company. Uber One subscribers are expected to receive additional perks related to parking once the transaction is finalized.
In Seattle, concerns have been raised by a drivers union affiliated with Teamsters Local 117 about oversaturation in the ride-hailing market. The union released a report stating that Uber and Lyft are adding new drivers at a rate far exceeding rider demand, resulting in declining wages and increased congestion. According to the report, “In Seattle, the number of ride-hailing drivers is growing seven times faster than actual trips, and in 2024, a staggering 55% of all ride-hailing miles driven were logged without a passenger.” A veteran driver reported his annual earnings dropped from $55,000 in 2022 to $24,000 in 2025.
The report also noted that empty miles per trip nearly tripled between 2019 and 2024. The union is calling for a pause on new driver onboarding and greater data transparency from companies like Uber and Lyft. They cited Chicago’s public ride data dashboard as an example for Seattle to follow. Uber responded by arguing that the study used an unrepresentative sample size and attributed rising fares to local minimum pay regulations.
Uber has also announced a partnership with Joby Aviation to allow users to book electric air taxis through its app. The service will launch first in Dubai later in 2026 before expanding to Los Angeles, New York City, the U.K., and Japan. A key goal is to be operational for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Joby’s aircraft can carry four passengers at speeds up to 200 mph with a range of up to 100 miles per charge. “The full trip is booked in one tap: an Uber Black picks you up, the Joby aircraft handles the flight from a vertiport, and another Uber meets you at the destination, no separate app needed,” according to Uber.
Joby Aviation has completed over 50,000 miles of flight testing and is nearing final FAA type certification required for commercial operations in the U.S.
A recent opinion piece published by CalMatters criticizes Uber’s proposed California ballot initiative regarding legal claims against the company. The op-ed argues that while it is presented as protection against frivolous lawsuits from “billboard lawyers,” it would actually limit victims’ ability to sue over safety failures involving negligent drivers or self-driving vehicles. It states: “Under the proposed law, Uber and its insurers could deploy unlimited legal resources with no penalty for delays or frivolous defenses, while victims face strict caps on legal fee structures.”
The article references past incidents such as a fatal autonomous vehicle crash involving an Uber robotaxi in Arizona found by NTSB investigators to result from an “inadequate safety culture.” It also notes that autonomous vehicle partner Nuro had logged only about 210,540 miles on California roads as of early 2024—well below what experts consider necessary for statistically valid safety data.
Uber Eats has changed its tipping policy so customers can no longer reduce tips after placing an order directly within the app—a move aimed at curbing “tip baiting,” where customers promise large tips but later reduce them after delivery. Drivers have advocated for this change due to low base pay rates; however some customers now express concern about lack of recourse if service quality is poor. Customers may still contact support if they wish to lower or remove their tip post-delivery. Competing platforms DoorDash and Grubhub already prohibit post-delivery tip reductions.
DoorDash recently began offering restaurant reservations through its app and announced plans to wind down Deliveroo and Wot operations in several international markets including Qatar, Singapore, Japan, and Uzbekistan.
For those interested in developments within autonomous vehicles or ride-hailing trends—including podcasts on topics such as taxi partnerships or driver pay—resources like The Driverless Digest newsletter provide further information.
