Uber drivers are a talked-about lot these days. People are discussing their salaries with amazement, and there are blogs chronicling their experiences. Amidst all this hoopla, Uber has come up with a way to make the Uber driver experience available to the masses. And without the hassle of people throwing up in your backseat.
Uber has launched an iPhone game, UberDrive, that mimics the experience of being an Uber driver. The game claims showcases a day in the life of an Uber driver-partner. Players help riders get from A to B and earn high scores for identifying the safest and most efficient routes to their destinations.
At the moment, future Uber drivers may only negotiate the streets of San Francisco, but a wider rollout is expected soon.
The game was developed by Mike Truong, a senior product manager at Uber. He has a background in creating education apps for small children.
This appears to be another recruiting tactic for Uber, which is aggressively looking for drivers worldwide. Users can sign up to become drivers and upload their applications and screening materials directly from inside the game. It could also be a part of an image makeover plan, considering how the company has received bad press globally for its strong-arm tactics, fare manipulations and passenger safety concerns.