The AA announce Uber partnership to install in-car partitions in 400 vehicle pilot scheme

Uber and the AA have partnered to install in-car partitions in 400 cars across Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham, as part of a pilot scheme to prevent the spread of coronavirus between drivers and passengers.

The AA announced the link-up on a social media advertising campaign, saying they were “proud to help Uber and keep you moving”.

The ongoing debate regarding the installation of partitions continues to rumble.

Individual licensing authorities are advised to oversee and ensure the correct regulations are put in place for any roll-out of the screens, but a number of posts across social media have appeared to show DIY set ups by private hire and taxi drivers around the UK.

Combating the spread of COVID-19 leads the drive for partitions, but health and safety in the occurrence of a vehicle collision is also a topic of debate when discussing the installations.

The partnership is not the first between the two firms. In 2019 the AA put together a road safety video for the ride-sharing company.

The video was designed to “refresh your knowledge and fine-tune your skills and service”.

The video consisted of advice surrounding observation, space management, speed limits, as well as picking up and dropping off passengers in a safe manner.

Image credit: TaxiPoint/The AA