Car-service apps didn't just sell convenience. They sold safety. That was the quiet bargain at the heart of ride-sharing's rise: Ubers were supposed to be safer than taxis; you wouldn't have to text your mom or a friend a photo of the taxi driver's name and hack license plate as you step in.

A federal jury has ordered Uber to pay $8. 5 million to a woman who says one of its drivers raped her during a 2023 trip.