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The ridesharing service Uber is hoping to use its technology and vast network of drivers to do something other than simply give you a ride. Uber wants to use its service to help find abducted children. Yup, as odd as it may seem, Uber is using Colorado as a testing ground for a new feature that will integrate Amber Alerts into the technology that powers its network of drivers.
Basically, Uber will push out alerts to their drivers in Colorado when an Amber Alert is issued. It will not be visible to passengers, but given Uber’s impressive network of drivers in Colorado it has the potential to alert a lot more eyes on the road to look for an abducted child. In fact, Uber says their drivers collectively drive over 10,000 miles a day in Colorado — that’s about the distance from Denver to Tokyo and back again.
If the program is successful the system could be rolled out to other areas where Uber operates, which seems like just about everywhere these days.
The Amber Alert system was first set up in 1996 and, when these alerts are issued, they're broadcasted on radio stations, television stations, and other traditional forms of media. Recently other tech giants like Facebook, Google and Bing have also been alerting their users as well.
Recently Uber announced plans to purchase part of Bing’s mapping department. That deal includes an office in Boulder and a data center in Longmont that employs around 50 people.
