Ride-hailing service Uber has launched a new service in the Indian capital of New Delhi — for auto rickshaws, the popular three-wheeled vehicles.
The big difference between UberAuto and the ride-hailing service's other offerings worldwide: You pay the autos, as the vehicles are known in India, only in cash. Fares are set by the state.
"Autos are an iconic and ubiquitous part of the Delhi landscape and we are excited to have them as another option on the Uber platform," Uber said in a statement on its blog.
The city has some 100,000 auto rickshaws on its streets. They are a cheap and convenient way to travel, though residents of the Indian capital — and other Indian cities — often complain about drivers ignoring the actual fares and asking for more.
Riders can use their Uber app to hail the vehicle and, The Wall Street Journal reports, rate drivers. The paper adds:
"Uber's main domestic competitors, ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd.'s Ola, already operates a similar service, known as OlaAuto, in six Indian cities, including Delhi. Last month, Ola also gave its auto passengers the option for cashless travel using an online-payment system. Ola charges a 'convenience fee' of 10 rupees, or about 16 cents, on top of the meter fare."
Uber says it won't charge a booking fee.
Uber ran into trouble in India last year following the rape of a female passenger in an Uber taxi. The company added an SOS button to its app in India following the incident.
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