Uber Faces Heat Over Advance Tip Feature, Govt Steps In

New Delhi: Uber’s new ‘Advance tip’ function has sparked an enormous backlash on social media, with customers accusing the ride-hailing corporate of forcing them to pay more money simply to get their rides accredited quicker. Now, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has despatched a proper realize to Uber at the factor. Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi additionally slammed the transfer, calling it “unethical and exploitative”.

He mentioned on social media that this sort of function falls below unfair business practices and ordered a complete investigation. Under this selection, the Uber app asks customers so as to add a tip of Rs 50, Rs 75, or Rs 100 whilst reserving a trip. The app tells customers that including a tip may just reinforce the probabilities of a motive force accepting the commute.

It additionally obviously says that the top quantity can’t be modified as soon as added and assures that all the tip is going to the motive force. However, many customers don’t seem to be satisfied. People have when put next this to giving a waiter cash ahead of even being served.

One person wrote that drivers are actually refusing to simply accept rides on the common fare, and consumers are being compelled to tip greater than Rs 100 simply to get picked up. Another person mockingly commented that Uber now expects consumers to pay further simply to get anyone to reply to a trip request.

“Great move,” the person added, with transparent frustration. Many customers identified {that a} tip will have to be a strategy to thank anyone after just right provider, no longer one thing paid prematurely, even to obtain a provider. A person shared that that they had to make use of Uber just lately and had been surprised to seek out that drivers had been tough a tip even ahead of arriving.

Another person known as the function a “bad practice” and mentioned it looks like being compelled to pay a waiter to be served in a cafe. Some even known as it a type of bribery, no longer tipping, pronouncing Uber is now asking customers to “bribe” drivers simply to get a well timed pickup.

This isn’t the primary time Uber has been in bother with the patron coverage authority.Earlier in January, the CCPA had despatched notices to each Uber and Ola over lawsuits that they had been charging other fares relying on whether or not consumers used an Android or an iPhone tool.