Uber Wants to Use AI to Determine if Passengers Are Drunk

Uber is attempting to patent A.I. technology which would determine whether potential passengers are drunk, to “reduce undesired consequences.”

The pending patent application, which was filed in 2016, would “separate sober passengers from drunk ones,” by spotting “uncharacteristic user activity,” including the location of the potential passenger, “number of typos entered into the mobile app and even the angle the smartphone is being held,” according to CNET’s Roadshow.

Uber would then be able to “take an action to reduce undesired consequences.”

“If a passenger is deemed drunk, that person also might not be allowed to be part of a shared ride. Some riders may not be able to get service at all,” reported UPI. “Uber is a safe way for an intoxicated person to get home, but many drivers do not want to deal with mishaps that accompany drunken riders, such as throwing up in the vehicle.”

In a statement, Uber declared, “We are always exploring ways that our technology can help improve the Uber experience for riders and drivers.”

“We file patent applications on many ideas, but not all of them actually become products or features,” they explained.