Article 30

As long as technology and innovation（创新） develop, new smart ideas will steadily become part of the public agenda（日常工作）. Car-ride booking （预订）application Uber constitutes（组成） a characteristic （特色）example. In particular, this electronic platform （平台）gives the opportunity to people using smartphones （智能手机）to submit（提交） trip requests（出行请求） and get rides which match （匹配）their style and budget（预算）. The service is available（可以得到） in 57 countries and will theoretically （理论上）create many job positions in the future.

But the operation of Uber has also caused internal （国内）problems in some countries. Traditional taxi-drivers in France, for instance, recently reacted （反应）against this service because they see a real danger for their own business. Violent （暴烈）demonstrations （游行）in Paris, in which 3,000 taxi-drivers participated（参与）, led the country's President François Hollande to intervene （介入）in order to protect （保护）public order.

Although the use of violence （暴力）is certainly unacceptable, the legality （合法性）of Uber's operation in France is questionable（需要置疑）. As this service seems to clash with （冲突）the country's regulations, its representatives（代表） decided to provisionally （临时）suspend（中止） its operations. A final decision is expected （期待）to be reached this September by the French Constitutional Court. Among other things, traditional taxi-drivers are complaining （抱怨）because their Uber colleagues （同行）are not obliged （强制）to pay for driving licenses（许可）.

France is not the only country where the Uber application is causing internal reactions. Germany, Spain, India and Brazil and other countries also face similar tensions（紧张）. The court in Germany, for example, has decided to impose （执行）a fine （罚款）of 250,000 euros ($264,825) for each violation （违反）of the national transport law. On the same wavelength（同样）, a Spanish court has ordered Uber to cease（停止） its operation in Spain.

Every discussion about the role of Uber should use legality as its starting point（出发点）. The decision of courts in several countries needs to be respected（遵守）. In parallel with （并行）this, traditional taxi-drivers should be protected from the ongoing （正在发生的）usage of Uber application. The fact that they had paid for driving licenses as well as that they had invested in （投资）a specific profession（行业） for years cannot be ignored（忽视）. A civilized （文明的）society that respects the rights of labor considers social protection a priority（优先权）.

But as time passes, nevertheless, Uber will have more chances to win the game. That is because citizens of all ages will be familiar with new technologies and smartphones. This will make it an almost permanent（永久） habit for them to use applications such as Uber in their daily life. As a result traditional services will be naturally sidelined（退出）. This does not happen instantly （立刻）because many people, especially older ones, are not able to use new technologies in an efficient （有效）way.

In any case Uber has to solve （解决）important problems until it will be able to possibly replace （替代）traditional taxi services. The first is related to （与…相关）issues of safety and insurance（保险）. There is criticism（批评）, for instance, that the company does not satisfactorily protect drivers and passengers from accidents（事故）. Some cases of violence by drivers have been reported, leading some commentators（评论员） to urge （敦促）for more checks and controls. Although The Washington Post asserts（宣称） that Uber does not deserve（值得） to be attacked （攻击）for this reason, other journalists （记者）are less reserved（保守） on the matter.

Moreover, more clarification （澄清）is required regarding （关于）the taxation of Uber. In the UK, for example, Labour MP Margaret Hodge claims （认为）that the firm is "opting （运营）out of the UK tax regime（制度）." In addition, the Australian Tax Office has decided that the company should be charged （收费）more following the country's taxation model（税收模式） for goods and services.

All in all, it seems that Uber has already come a long way in its effort to take a significant share （份额）in providing ride services. The recent violent demonstrations of taxi-drivers in France outline （概述）that the transition （转变）from the traditional era（时代） to the one of new technologies has already started. Similar incidents will happen in the future, maybe with more intensity（强度）. But they will hardly prevent changes and developments, at least in the long term（长远）.