What she said is troubling about this attack is that it could have been prevented. While Uber allows passengers to see their driver's photo before pickup, drivers cannot see their riders' photos, which leads Melissa to believe that they targeted her because she was an older woman.

Starting today, if you call an Uber in Austin you can match with a self-driving Waymo vehicle. The launch in the Texas capital is part of an expanded partnership between the two tech companies. Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are already available on the Uber platform in Phoenix, and the companies plan to launch next in Atlanta.

Uber will shift into a new gear in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday when its ride-hailing service will begin dispatching self-driving cars to pick up passengers. The autonomous option is being provided through a partnership that brings together Uber and robotaxi pioneer Waymo,