Uber Uses Spy-Quality Satellite Imagery To Track Down Passengers

Uber is already the main method of transport for a lot of people, quickly outpacing taxis in the process. However, one of the challenges that Uber drivers face is inaccurate tracking systems that can make locating the passengers a little difficult. The cab-hailing company plans to address this problem by using high-resolution satellite imagery reminiscent of those old spy movies that track down agents or targets.

Using satellite imagery from “DigitalGlobe,” Uber drivers will now be able to get a much clearer picture of their destination, according to PC Mag. According to a blog post by DigitalGlobe, the partnership with Uber is meant to revolutionize transportation by supposedly making it “dead simple.” That’s no ominous at all.

In any case, the satellite-imaging company is able to cater to the needs of Uber driver thanks to its efforts in persuading the US Department of Commerce to make the resolutions that private satellites can take less restrictive. As a result, “DigitalGlobe” can now show images with incredible accuracy, even with objects that are a foot in size. This is an achievement that DigitalGlobe’s director of business development Kevin Bullock is quite proud of, along with their high-resolution imaging capability.

"We've spent the last decade developing advanced technology that scans the Earth with the highest accuracy and resolution," Bullock said. "This capability gives our customers an unprecedented ability to understand the environment in which they operate, and in turn, to create new and disruptive services that change the way we live."

In terms of Uber’s plans to employ self-driving vehicles to replace real drivers with, there has been no mention with regards to any connection with the upgraded tracking capability, Engadget reports. However, accurate satellite mapping is key to making fully autonomous driving possible, and “DigitalGlobe’s” services can certainly make self-driving a lot easier to implement.