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- Uber South Africa has released its annual Lost and Found Index for 2022.
- From iPhones to passports, and even baby strollers, the array of forgotten belongings are diverse and, in some instances, strange.
- Uber Global has also announced a whole host of new features that are going to be integrated into the app.
- For more stories, visit the Tech and Trends homepage.
In the bustling world of ride-hailing, it’s no surprise that passengers occasionally leave behind items on the backseats of their Uber rides.
This week, Uber South Africa released its annual Lost and Found Index for 2022, now in its seventh year, shedding light on the most commonly forgotten items.
From iPhones to passports, and even baby strollers, the array of forgotten belongings are diverse and, in some instances, strange.
The index revealed that in 2022, Cape Town was the most forgetful city in the country, and was closely followed by Johannesburg. The most common items forgotten in Cape Town included wedding rings, handbags and house keys.
"On those pitch-black nights - thanks to load shedding, riders across the country forgot alternative portable light sources such as a solar light, a candle, and a lamp," UberSA said.
"On the shopping front, looking at the amount of Woolies grocery bags often left behind, riders are most certainly thankful for Woolworth’s 'Bring a Bag, Take a Bag' initiative."
Let’s take a look at the insights to uncover the quirky habits of riders and their valuable, but forgotten possessions.
Most commonly forgotten items:
- Clothing
- Cellphones
- Chargers
- Laptops
- Shoes
- Handbags
- Wallets
- Groceries
Most popular baby items lost:
- Stroller
- Baby bottle
- Baby blanket
Key trends observed:
- Riders are most likely to forget more on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- Ray Bans, iPhone and Samsung topped some of the most popular brands forgotten.
- Cape Town women lost the most handbags.
- TV came top of the most valuable items lost to date.
- Johannesburg and Cape Town are the cities with the most lost house keys.
Lost items that peak on certain days:
- People are most likely to forget chargers on Fridays.
- People are most likely to forget keys on Mondays.
- People are most likely to forget their wallets on Tuesdays.
- People are most likely to forget watches and jewellery on Mondays.
- People are most likely to forget their passports on Thursdays.
- People are most likely to forget groceries on Wednesdays.
New Uber features announced
On Wednesday, Uber Global announced a whole host of new features that are going to be integrated into the app. Key new features include the ability to book an Uber without the app, to hail an Uber with a baby car seat, and teens as young as 13 being able to order and ride in Ubers by themselves as part of a family profile.
We spoke to Uber SA’s head of communications, Mpho Mutuwa, to find out if any of these updates would - at some point - make their way to South Africa.
She said:
"We have several exciting new features and enhancements in addition to Family Profiles/Sharing that we plan to announce soon, so please watch this space."
She also urged riders to explore one of the latest features added to the UberSA app: Audio Recording, intended to add further security for riders.
