It’s no surprise that a significant proportion of Uber’s business occurs in the small hours of the morning, ferrying party-goers home after a night ‘on the sauce’. However, the company is moving to protect its drivers from having to deal with drunk passengers using new AI technology.
Image: Flickr
A recent patent filing shows a system capable of detecting potential levels of inebriation based on a variety of factors, including typing or button-pressing accuracy and walking speed, besides more general criteria such as the time of day and location.
Users detected as being, shall we say, “less than lucid” would flag up in the system, issuing a warning to drivers in the area. Those who have had a particularly fun evening may only be matched with drivers who have undergone advanced training to deal with drunk passengers, and may also be prohibited from participating in shared rides*.
(*to the relief of non-drinkers everywhere.)
