CityLab Daily: For Ride-Hailing Drivers, Data Is Power

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Behind the wheel: For ride-hailing companies, the power of data is clear: Uber uses real-time location info to route vehicles through cities as well as nudge the behaviors of its drivers and passengers. That kind of data could also empower drivers—if they had access to it. Right now, drivers do have access to some of their personal information, including trip histories and customer ratings. But lawsuits brought by Uber drivers in Europe and the United States are arguing that the humans behind the wheel should get a closer look at the data they generate, to get a fuller sense of how the app’s algorithm plays boss.