Uber is taking artificial intelligence to the next level by applying for a patent that could potentially detect if a passenger is drunk and notify a driver before they step into their automobile.
This new technology will consider a bevy of factors to decide whether or not a customer is inebriated, including how an individual uses their phone, how they are walking, and whether or not they are are ordering a ride home from a bar after 2 a.m.
"Predicting user state using machine learning," is how the company succinctly describes their latest technological endeavour. Drivers will most likely be supplied with this information en route to their destination.
However, it is not exactly clear if this data will be used to deter an Uber driver from picking up a passenger in order to evade any potential drunken predicament. Instead, the technology may be beneficial in allocating intoxicated customers with drivers who are comfortable dealing with potentially-unpleasant situations.