As the market and interest for autonomous vehicles continue to rise, there are often discussions regarding accident rates and how self-driving cars have the potential to reduce those numbers. Considering the majority of collisions are currently attributed to driver error, it’s a reasonable assumption that an autonomous vehicle could weed out problems like distractions, drunk driving, and more. A new study, however, predicts that the crash rates for self-driving vehicles will not be as low as we think.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), self-driving cars may only be able to prevent around one-third of all crashes: “According to a national survey of police-reported crashes, driver error is the final failure in the chain of events leading to more than 9 out of 10 crashes. But the Institute’s analysis suggests that only about a third of those crashes were the result of mistakes that automated vehicles would be expected to avoid simply because they have more accurate perception than human drivers and aren’t vulnerable to incapacitation.”

As Ford continues to push its autonomous vehicle operation forward, a new patent filed by the company outlines a way ridesharing vehicles can be sorted based on the way they smell. This patent includes autonomous vehicles and those driven by rideshare workers.

The patent, titled “Transportation System Using Odor Preferences,” could help rideshare users who are sensitive to odors like cigarette smoke. For example, if a non-smoker needs a vehicle that has not been smoked in because of a sensitive lung condition, Ford’s technology could ensure they get the right vehicle for their needs.

Some Uber drivers and riders have been in dangerous situations where they’ve been unable to call 911 for help. To alleviate this issue and bring peace of mind to rideshare workers and users, Uber launched a new feature allowing app users to text emergencies to 911. When a driver or rider texts 911, they can provide information about the ride, what the situation is, and their current location.

This service is available wherever “Text to 911” has been activated by area 911 officials. So far, this includes counties and cities in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington State.

On March 4, 2020, Uber published a post detailing the technologies they use to test, validate, and deploy autonomous vehicles. While Uber has experienced setbacks with their self-driving cars, this information reveals what their next steps are and how their technology could impact the rideshare industry.

According to Uber in an article from VentureBeat, the most important component of their self-driving technology is VerCD, which is a set of tools and microservices developed specifically for prototyping autonomous vehicles. It has the ability to track different processes and ensure vehicles follow the necessary stages to operate safely on roadways.

An Uber and Lyft driver from Chicago recently launched a new app with the intention of helping rideshare drivers connect with each other. The app, DriverChatter, is available for Uber and Lyft drivers in Chicago. There are plans to expand to cities throughout the United States.

Developed by Vivek Shah, the app aims to overcome a number of the obstacles rideshare drivers face by allowing them to chat and interact with each other on the purpose-built platform.