Uber’s new Spotify partnership is a step closer to “driverless” cars by allowing users to control the music.  Uber is a ride sharing application that connects passengers with drivers of vehicles for hire. The smartphone app allows customers to reserve rides, track the location of the driver and also rate these drivers. Spotify is a music streaming service. The new partnership will allow users to play their Spotify playlists even before they enter the car. So once they start their journey, they no longer have to listen to the drivers talk, they can just enjoy their favorite music. Supposedly the synergy from this partnership will cause a win-win-win situation for everyone involved.

What could go wrong? Firstly, Uber drives rely heavily on their ratings. Even though the company says that drivers will be able to choose whether or not they want to participate in this Spotify partnership, consumers might still rate drivers poorly if they choose not to opt in. This would mean that the drivers who allow for the music would be rated higher than drivers that don’t, even if it doesn’t have any indication of their driving abilities or other factors. Users might start expecting more from drivers, without actually improving the main idea behind the app, ride sharing.

Furthermore, the user’s need for music might cause a distraction to the driver depending on what sort of music it will be or how loud they want to listen to it. These distractions could lead to unsafe driving conditions and jeopardize the safety of the driver and the passengers. We can’t determine how this will play out, but Uber will be smart to make sure they pull the plug on this partnership as soon as they see any discontent from the drivers. Discontented drivers will only reduce the quality of their actual product, the transportation.