With Uber taking the lion’s share of the ride request market, Lyft is seeking new ways to attract business. In a recent post, Lyft declared its “mission to transform urban transportation.” The firm cites an improved experience for both riders and drivers through a partnership with the popular crowdsourced traffic and navigation app Waze.
Route updating will allow Lyft to update a driver’s route in real time, improving Lyft Line matches and reducing wait times for passengers. New pickups can also be added while the driver is en route to their next stop.
When navigating with the Waze app, drivers can press a “Return to Lyft” button to seamlessly bring up the Lyft app. From there the driver can tap the “arrived” or “drop off” buttons without having to take extra steps.
Driver ratings are important, and navigation is a determining factor in a low or high score. In an effort to maintain good ratings, Waze will become the default navigation app for all Lyft drivers.
Lyft also states that together with Waze, “… We’re able to even more significantly contribute toward our shared goal — while simultaneously making the Lyft experience smoother, faster, and more delightful for drivers and passengers.” Lyft praises the navigation app for helping to reduce congestion and pollution.
Uber commands 15 times more rides per month than Lyft, as reported by Fortune. And Uber has been trying to improve its own navigation system, even sending out its own mapping cars. It is unlikely, however, that at present it will be able to compete with the massive resources of a dedicated system like Waze.
Lyft’s integration with Waze should be happening “in the coming weeks,” so be sure to check if there is any difference in your wait and travel times as a result.
Volkswagen’s newest EVs in China are making its American and European models look unusually conservative.
With Xpeng’s help, VW has introduced 800-volt charging and advanced urban driving assistance. The new VEGA technology package brings its locally developed vehicle platforms and CEA electronic architecture under one umbrella. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen intends to update VEGA every three months. Western buyers can find pieces of that package, but not the whole thing in a Volkswagen.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?