Encrypted Ride-Sharing Companies

In an effort to protect the privacy of people using a ride-hailing service, researchers from Lausanne University and the Swiss Federal Polytechnic Institute are using cryptography to encrypt data. ORide -- or Oblivious Ride -- is a prototype software that prevents ride-share companies from seeing where passengers have been.

Described as "a privacy-preserving yet accountable ride-hailing service," ORide addresses the criticism of brands like Uber and Lyft and their data collection practices. This alternative allows people to catch a ride without having to share their location data. Still in development, the encryption system aims to deliver all the convenience and features people expect from on-demand car-catching services (like reputation scores, lost item retrieval and easy payments) while protecting sensitive information using novel cryptography techniques.