LA Times (December 17)
‘’Uber built its business by challenging regulators and entrenched assumptions about how best to assure public safety. It successfully evaded the strict local rules that the taxi industry faces on fares, licenses and driver background checks by arguing that smartphone-summoned rides were different from taxis and should be regulated under new state standards. It has also avoided a variety of mandates on employers by classifying its drivers as independent contractors, not employees.” But when it comes to testing driverless vehicles on California roads, the technology company should play be the rules.
Tags: ” Driverless vehicles, Assumptions, California, Contractors, Drivers, Employees, Employers, Fares, Licenses, Mandates, Public safety, Regulators, Rules, Smartphone, Taxi industry, Uber
Financial Times (April 3)
Chinese tourists are increasing in Japan, but they are positively flooding Seoul. “The streets of Seoul are full of Chinese tourists drawn by South Korea’s lavish department stores, its glamorous pop stars – and now its driving schools.” South Korea loosened its license requirements just as China tightened theirs, creating a new travel incentive. A license in South Korea is cheaper and only requires 13 hours of school versus 78 in China. As a result, Chinese students now outnumber Koreans at some South Korean driving schools.
Tags: China, Chinese, Department stores, Driving schools, Japan, Licenses, Pop stars, Seoul, South Korea, Tourists
