By Barry Eitel
SAN FRANCISCO
Ridesharing service Uber said Wednesday it has partnered with another company to launch a personal breathalyzer that orders up an Uber if a user blows over the legal drinking limit.
The technology comes courtesy of Breathometer, which found funding and exposure on a reality show where venture capitalists hear pitches from a variety of entrepreneurs. Breathometer sells a portable “smart” breathalyzer that connects to a smartphone in an effort to help users make informed decisions.
Breathometer’s products are currently available in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands, with plans to expand across the globe.
Uber is available in some 54 countries, although a good portion of those governments are less than happy with the company’s reputation of ignoring laws and regulations regarding taxi services.
Uber said the partnership will allow users to opt for an Uber if they drank over the legal limit. The team said in more than 1 million tests during the past nine months, they saw impressive usage, especially during the weekend.
“Including Uber in the Breathometer app was a simple decision,” Charles Michael Yim, CEO of Breathometer, said in a statement. “It was one of the most frequently requested features from our early customers.”
The companies believe some of the success is because Uber is growing in areas where taxis aren’t common or take a long time.
“We have a growing customer base located in rural, suburban and urban environments,” Yim continued. “Having to call a friend or schedule a cab isn’t always an easy choice.”
Uber is championing its ability to cut down drunk driving, a convenient distraction from criticisms concerning its legality or its process of vetting drivers. However, Uber does appear to be making a dent. A recent study found that drunk driving arrests and crashes dropped in the city of Seattle and the state of California when Uber entered those markets.
