More bad news for Uber?
Uber is currently facing a criminal investigation by the US government.
The firm has been accused of using “secret” software which allows it to operate in regions where its banned or restricted.
The software is known as “greyball”, it helped it identify officials looking to stop the service running.
The Reuters news agency reported that a spokesman for Uber declined to comment on the investigation.
It has been claimed that greyball was used in several different areas. This includes Portland and Oregon where the ride sharing service was still seeking official approval.
In these areas transport regulation officials posed as passengers to try and prove they were operating illegally. The software greyball was able to figure out who these officials were and blocked them from booking rides with the company’s drivers.
A letter was sent to transport regulators in Portland last week, Uber said it used the greyball software “exceedingly sparingly” in the city and had not used it since April 2015 when it was granted permission to operate.
Uber’s use of the software was revealed earlier this year by the New York Times.
It’s not yet known what punishment Uber will face if the investigation finds that it did act illegally.
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