Let us face it. Humans are forgetful. We tend to forget things in a myriad of places. Be it our homes, workplaces, or even while traveling. We are able to locate most of the stuff that we misplace in our homes and workplaces. However, locating items left behind on public transport, or cabs can prove to be a bit more challenging. Wouldn’t it be helpful if there were a way to receive alerts if we left some of our stuff in cabs? Uber has just the tech.

PATENTED TECHNOLOGY

In a recently published patent, UBER discloses its plans to determine whether “an object which should have been removed from a vehicle after completion of the transport service, remains in the vehicle”. What this means is, UBER will determine whether a passenger may have left behind an object in a cab after disembarking, be it a bulletproof vest, gaming console, or even their divorce papers. Initially, Uber will determine that a vehicle has been arranged to provide a location-based service. Further, Uber will, using multiple sensors installed in the vehicle, including cameras, weight sensors, suspension sensors, and even LIDAR, determine the number of objects placed in the vehicle at the beginning of the service by the passenger. Thereafter, upon the conclusion of the service, Uber will determine whether all objects placed in the vehicle by the passenger have been removed or not

If an object is detected to have been left behind, UBER will send an alert (via a text or call) to the passenger. UBER may also alert the driver to stay at the drop-off location for a pre-set amount of time so that the passenger may be able to retrieve the said object.

Further, if the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, the vehicle may be programmed and instructed to stay at the drop-off location or drive to another location from where the passenger may conveniently retrieve the objects.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE?

This technology will definitely aid everyone who uses cab services, as everyone is guilty of a little forgetfulness occasionally. However, it may be difficult for Uber to convince existing drivers to include this tech in their vehicles. We might have to wait until Uber has its own fleet of autonomous vehicles to see this technology be actualized. What do you think about this technology? Let us know in the comments below.

REFERENCE(S): Uber

US20180223584