Uber Product Design: A Ride With No Physical Contact Between Rider and Driver

Uber wants a ride that riders and drivers can complete without contact. Design that experience. Explain what contactless should cover, whom you are designing for, which changes along the trip you would make first, and how you would measure success. ```hint Count the touch points Walk through one trip from the car arriving to the rider walking away. Where do the rider and the driver touch the same thing, hand something over or need to talk up close, and which of those moments could the app take over? ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does contactless mean only no physical touch and no handovers, or also as little face-to-face conversation as possible? - Is this a response to a health concern such as a pandemic, meant to bring riders and drivers back, or a permanent ride option? - Which markets come first? In cities where many riders pay in cash, payment is itself a handover. - Is the design for riders, drivers or both, and may it include ride rules such as seating limits, or only app features? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A precise definition of contactless and a goal tied to trust, completed trips and driver supply. - A map of contact points across the trip, from pickup to payment and lost items, for both rider and driver. - Prioritized solutions that serve both sides of the marketplace, including riders who pay cash and riders who need physical help. - Metrics for adoption, perceived safety and trip efficiency, with guardrails on pickup time, cancellations and driver earnings. - Risks such as unfair cancellations, accessibility gaps, privacy of any verification step, and overpromising on health. ### Follow-up Questions - A blind rider with a guide dog, or a rider with heavy luggage, needs the driver's help. How does your design handle them? - In a city where most trips are paid in cash, how would you move to contactless payment without losing those riders? - Drivers start cancelling on riders and citing the new safety rules. How would you tell real violations from unfair cancellations?