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Uber created its own smartphone game to recruit drivers
Uber created its own smartphone game to recruit drivers
Maya KosoffJun 11, 2015, 22:58 IST
Uber has released a smartphone game called UberDRIVE, which is essentially a gamified version of what it's like to be an Uber driver.In the game, you become an Uber driver, and you take customers to their destinations on a real map of San Francisco. In a blog post on Thursday, the company said the game was intended to appeal to its drivers and help them "hone their navigation skills if they choose to."UberDRIVE lets drivers test their knowledge of a city, which is an essential skill if you're constantly driving people from point A to point B.Uber drivers are independent contractors and not employees, so requiring its drivers to take training courses could potentially put Uber in murky legal waters. Uber's new smartphone is an optional way for drivers to get better at what they do and to increase their knowledge of the city in which they drive. The mobile game is also intended to recruit people who might not have otherwise considered driving for Uber by simulating what it's like to drive for the company. Users who like the game and want to drive for Uber can sign up right from the game's app.An Uber senior product manager named Mike Truong, who has background at video game studios, developed UberDRIVE for the company, according to the New York Times.Right now, you can only play the game in San Francisco. But if it takes off, the company says it will consider expanding the game to other major metropolitan areas.If you're curious and located in San Francisco, UberDRIVE is available for download in the iTunes Store.
