logo
episode-header-image
May 2016
30 m

Episode 31: Your Brain on Uber

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode

Uber is built on the scourge of surge. When demand is high, the company charges two, three, even NINE-POINT-NINE times as much as normal for a ride. Riders hate it . . . but not so much that they stop riding. Yep, "dynamic pricing" has helped the company to grow into one of the largest taxi services in the world. What's the psychology behind it? Shankar sits down with Uber's Head of Economic Research Keith Chen to talk about when we're most likely pay for surge, when we hate it the most, and why monkeys would probably act and feel the same way. That's right. Monkeys.

Up next
Oct 6
Love 2.0: How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 2
When things go wrong in our relationships, we often try to change the way our partners behave. But usually, trying to fix a person only makes things worse. Last week, we talked to psychologist James Cordova about why this tendency can be so damaging, and what to do instead. This ... Show More
1h 44m
Sep 29
Love 2.0: How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 1
Many love stories end when the characters are still in the heady, euphoric early stages of a relationship. But what comes after that intoxicating first phase of love is over? Today, we kick off a new series on the challenges specific to long-term relationships. We'll talk with ps ... Show More
1h 41m
Sep 22
Passion vs. Paycheck
The idea of being driven by a calling goes back centuries. It was the language used to describe religious people who were called to the priesthood. Today, millions of people in secular professions yearn to be similarly galvanized by their work. This week, researcher Jennifer Tost ... Show More
53m 25s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2022
Why Uber Is Hailing New York City Cabs
When Uber first started over a decade ago, the company had one huge competitor: The taxi industry. But after both businesses began to stall, the two former enemies began making nice. WSJ's Preetika Rana explains what caused Uber to team up with New York City's yellow cabs, and th ... Show More
17m 39s
Oct 2017
Can we do better than Uber?
Last month, Transport for London announced it was withdrawing ride-hailing firm Uber's license to operate in the capital. Despite complaints over passenger safety and poor treatment of drivers, many Londoners came to Uber's defence, valuing its convenience. But what if we could b ... Show More
29m 51s
Jun 2020
Uber vs Lyft | Kill or Be Killed | 4
Uber is facing blowback from all directions — the taxi industry, riders, and the most important man in tech: Apple's Tim Cook. Uber’s been engaged in some disreputable activity, and it's finally catching up with them. Lyft forges ahead and forms a new alliance to fight back again ... Show More
25m 13s
May 2024
Uber CEO Unveils Plan to Make Rides Cheaper, Reveals Own Uber Rating, and Launches "Party Bus"
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi joins Morning Brew Daily for an exclusive interview where he discusses Uber's focus on affordability, which includes scheduling UberX Shares and launching shuttles that will take customers to and from concerts and events for a lower fare. He also shares ... Show More
38m 52s
Jun 2020
Uber vs Lyft | Black Cars and Pink Mustaches | 1
It’s December 2008, and two friends and fellow tech entrepreneurs, Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick, can't get a taxi. Camp’s already obsessed with the idea of a service that summons a private driver with the push of a button, but now Kalanick gets the appeal. Together, they'll b ... Show More
27m 12s
Jun 2020
Uber vs Lyft | Examining Toxic Company Culture in the Rideshare Industry | 7
Uber and Lyft have made their mark as very different brands.Lyft was born out of a need for more environmentally friendly rideshare options. And is also seen as the “friendlier” of the two companies. While Uber’s former CEO, Travis Kalanick built a reputation for ruthlessness, se ... Show More
22m 9s
Oct 2016
What It Takes to Vanquish Uber
Very few things have stopped Uber in its quest for world domination -- except Didi, the Chinese ride-hailing startup that in August announced it will buy Uber's China operations. This week Lulu Chen and Brad Stone tell the story of how Didi rose to prominence, and the battles its ... Show More
15m 19s
Nov 2023
"Autonome Taxis sind der nächste Schritt", sagt Uber-Deutschlandchef Christoph Weigler
Christoph Weiglers Job könnte man auch als Übersetzer bezeichnen. Seit acht Jahren ist er Uber-Deutschlandchef. Weigler muss Uber in Kalifornien erklären, warum im fernen Deutschland viele Dinge anders laufen als in den USA. Dass Privatpersonen ohne Personenbeförderungsschein and ... Show More
33m 59s
Apr 2022
What Next TBD: Uber Makes Nice With Cabs
The rideshare company's founder once called taxis “evil.” Now, Uber might need them to survive. Guest: Preetika RanaHost: Lizzie O'Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 
22m 43s
Oct 2023
Uber’s Profit, Power and Problems with CEO Dara K
Uber: hard to live with it, or without it. In this episode Kara grills CEO Dara Khosrowshahi on the company’s sky-high prices, high take rate, treatment of drivers/couriers, policies around safety and why oh why he is kind to his predecessor, Travis Kalanick. Before and after the ... Show More
1 h