A report from Belgian newspaper Dernière Heure has suggested that Uber charge higher fees to customers with low battery.
The rumours were put to the test, as two investigators took an identical journey across Brussels, where they found that the passenger with 12% battery on their phone was charged £15.55 as opposed to the passenger on 84% being hit with a £14.70 fare.
Both riders also compared whether it changed with the other driving options – like Uber Comfort and Uber Black – with both seeing similar prices favoured to the phone with more battery life.
The taxi company have been approached on the matter and have swiftly denied reports that costs are calculated based on an individual’s battery percentage and are rather determined by “occupancy in an area”.
Uber stated, “’During busy periods, when there are many requests for rides and few drivers available in a certain geographical area, this can have an impact on the price of the ride. In all cases, the user is informed of the price of the ride before he confirms his request.”
Whilst they have shut down claims faster than a driver meeting their destination, many are set to trial the rumours to see if the popular taxi service have changed its charging policies.
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