In the midst of a storm of revisions, Didi Hitch has brought a series of profound changes that have caught the attention of both drivers and passengers. The change is multifaceted, but two of them stand out.
First of all, hitchhikers no longer have the convenience of automatically grabbing orders. What used to be one-click order taking is a thing of the past, and now, drivers need to keep swiping orders to fight for every opportunity. This change has sparked controversy about whether the auto-order grab plug-in will continue to work, and drivers will have to wait to see what their peers will do to hear about it.
Secondly, passengers received a veto in this revision. They can no longer rely on lightning confirmation and must confirm every order by hand. What's more, passengers can now turn down specific owners, giving them greater autonomy to choose the vehicle they want. Whether they are not interested in the tram or are not satisfied with the old and dilapidated vehicles, passengers can politely decline. This is undoubtedly a positive for passengers.
The revamp appears to be aimed at balancing the competition between professional rideshare drivers and part-time drivers to meet a wider range of passenger needs. However, this change has sparked discontent among the driver community. Passenger rights have been raised to an unprecedented level, allowing them to refuse and pick vehicles an unlimited number of times without compensating the driver. At the same time, the elimination of the automatic order grabbing feature also means that drivers need to invest more time and effort in responding to messages from passengers, and some passengers ask for specific car models, which is of little benefit to the average rideshare driver.
In addition to internal antipathy, Didi Hitch also faces challenges from competitors. Competing platforms like Hello Hitch and Yifed Hitch are making their mark, and there is a lot of focus on Didi's revisions. Didi's strategy appears to be to maintain its market position by increasing the weight of passengers, increasing their orders, and then attracting more drivers to join.
Eventually, the revamp sparked a controversy over whether hitchhiking was passenger or driver-driven. Didi's revamp seems to have brought hitchhiking closer to the chauffeured car's mode of operation, with passengers free to choose their vehicle type and itinerary, which has sparked widespread discussion and observation. The industry as a whole is watching this change closely and whether it will succeed in meeting the needs of different stakeholders. In this wave of reform, the future of Didi Hitch is still unknown.