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.

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,

Uber Technologies Inc. on Tuesday will begin offering its customers driverless Waymo rides in Austin, marking the official start of a planned launch between the two companies.