Only 12,522 Serious Incidents Were Publicly Acknowledged
By Emily Park, Safety Tech Reporter
Between 2017 and 2022, Uber recorded 400,181 instances of sexual assault or misconduct during rides in the U.S., averaging one report every eight minutes, according to confidential documents reviewed by The New York Times. This figure starkly contrasts with the 12,522 serious sexual assault cases the company previously disclosed. The findings stem from interviews with current and former employees, internal records, and sealed court documents tied to a major lawsuit against Uber.
Uber’s U.S. safety chief, Hannah Nilles, emphasized, “No level of sexual assault is acceptable,” while noting that roughly 75% of these reports involved less severe issues, such as inappropriate comments, flirting, or suggestive language. She also pointed out that many reports remain unaudited, potentially including errors or fraudulent claims from riders seeking refunds.
Uber has long marketed itself as a secure travel option, highlighting the rarity of incidents. Yet, the Times investigation reveals missed opportunities to bolster safety, including the rejection of measures like driver-passenger gender matching, advanced algorithm pairing, and passenger warnings about risk factors. In some documented cases, drivers with prior misconduct records continued operating, later committing assaults, while proposals for in-car cameras were dismissed to preserve the contractor business model. A gender-matching feature was also shelved due to concerns about cultural backlash.
Despite Uber’s claim that 99.9% of its millions of daily U.S. rides occur without issues, the report paints a troubling picture of a company prioritizing growth over passenger protection, raising serious questions about its safety culture.