Uber driver killed in Chile during attempted robbery

SANTIAGO: A 35-year-old driver for ride services company Uber was shot dead in the Chilean capital Santiago as he attempted to resist being robbed by passengers, police said on Saturday.

Three people had requested the ride late on Friday using a cash payment option that Uber introduced last year, Santiago police said. The option does not require customers to register their credit card information.

Uber’s unit in Chile did not immediately respond to requests for comment. But the company has faced criticism for not doing enough to prevent its drivers from being targeted by criminals, who ambush drivers after requesting rides using the cash option to help conceal their identity.

A Reuters analysis of official crime data in Sao Paulo, Brazil, last month showed a spike in robberies involving Uber drivers since the company started accepting cash payments in the city.

Earlier this week, Chile’s government proposed regulations for transportation companies that operate via cellphone applications. — Agencies