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Uber will soon start displaying video ads in its apps. They’ll appear while you wait for a ride to show up and while you’re in transit, after you place orders in Uber Eats and in search results and other parts of Drizly, the company told The Wall Street Journal. Ads will also be shown on tablets that are placed inside some Uber cars.
Users in the US will start seeing video ads this week. Tablets displaying ads will be installed on a city-by-city basis in the country. The company plans to roll out video ads in the UK, France, Australia and other markets later this year.
Static ads have been shown in Uber Eats since 2019 and in the company’s eponymous ride-hailing app since last year. The company started offering new ad tools in Drizly, the alcohol-ordering app it bought in 2021, last year. Mark Grether, vice president and general manager of Uber’s advertising division, said the company is on course to clear $1 billion in ad revenue in 2024.
The video ads in the apps will be muted by default (audio will play on tablets that are in cars) and will run for up to 90 seconds. An Uber ride lasts around 15 minutes on average, and users typically spend between two and three minutes looking at the app during trips. “We have two minutes of your attention. We know where you are, we know where you are going to, we know what you have eaten,” Grether told the Journal. “We can use all of that to then basically target a video ad towards you.”
The company says it won’t share individuals’ data with advertisers. You’ll be able to opt out of ad targeting based on demographic data and your activity in Uber’s apps, but you can’t opt out of ads altogether, Uber says. Unless, of course, you lock your phone or switch to another app.
It’s not yet clear whether you’ll be able to immediately close an ad once it starts playing. If not, users may temporarily be unable to access certain features in Uber’s apps, such as the safety tools and the ability to message a driver or Uber Eats courier. Engadget has asked Uber for clarification.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uber-will-start-showing-video-ads-in-its-apps-this-week-150540078.html?src=rss
Volkswagen’s next plug-in hybrid (PHEV) may be particularly appealing if you’re determined to avoid using the gas engine whenever possible. The automaker has shared the first details of its next-gen Tiguan SUV, and the PHEV model will manage up to 62 miles of all-electric range. That’s about twice the range of the existing Tiguan eHybrid, and makes the 37.5 miles of Toyota’s Prius Prime seem modest. You might only need to rely on combustion power for long-distance trips.
The jump to a new MQB evo platform (and thus new electric motors) is partly credited for the extended PHEV range. It also allows for an electronically-controlled suspension that promises better handling and more comfort, and enables both faster AC charging on the plug-in model as well as DC charging. It’s now more practical to charge the Tiguan overnight or at a rest stop, in other words.
VW has also revamped the in-cabin technology. The infotainment system now uses up to a 15-inch screen, and there’s a digital instrument cluster with rotary-based control. There’s even a nod to ID-series EVs with a switch on the steering column to change drive modes. The new Tiguan will only be available with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
The updated Tiguan will officially debut in the fall, with models reaching dealerships in 2024. We wouldn’t count on a North American release of the PHEV edition when it hasn’t been available in the region so far. However, VW’s effort hints at the direction of hybrids for the industry at large. The electric-only range is now good enough to cover a wide range of driving scenarios, and may be enticing if you’re not quite ready to buy a pure EV.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/vws-next-tiguan-phev-can-drive-62-miles-in-electric-only-mode-153155679.html?src=rss
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