Lyft, Uber’s biggest competitor in the United States
(“US”), recently obtained a patent for
a “driver jukebox system” that allows a rider to be the
DJ when using a ride-hailing service.
On 9 July 2019, the company was granted US Patent No. 10,346,471
for a system that enables a rider to select the music to be played
in the driver’s vehicle while on a trip. In the patent
specification, it is explained that the music played during a ride
is traditionally controlled by the driver and anyone else in the
vehicle experiences the same music environment regardless of their
own music preferences. The driver jukebox system described in the
patent specification aims to provide an alternative.
