How 3,000 Ubers could replace taxis and cut New York traffic by 300%

Around 13,500 yellow cabs are licensed in New York, although 98 percent of the city’s taxi demand could be met with just 3,000 four-person cars using the algorithm, researchers found.

The first-of-its-kind study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences, was carried out by MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL).

“Instead of transporting people one at a time, drivers could transport two to four people at once, resulting in fewer trips, in less time, to make the same amount of money,” said Daniela Rus, director of MIT’s CSAIL.

“A system like this could allow drivers to work shorter shifts, while also creating less traffic, cleaner air and shorter, less stressful commutes.”