Coronavirus: infected drivers raise concerns for ride-hailing services in China

Didi Chuxing, operator of China’s largest ride-hailing platform, recently had one driver diagnosed with the coronavirus. — SCMP

China’s ride-hailing services market, the world’s largest, faces challenging times amid reports of multiple drivers being diagnosed with the coronavirus, clouding prospects for an industry already hit hard by government-imposed travel restrictions across the country.

“The [coronavirus] epidemic will have a substantial impact on the ride-hailing industry because there is a probability of getting infected [by the drivers],” said Sun Naiyue, an analyst at research firm Analysys, who covers China’s broader mobility sector. “The demand has also been decreasing, as people are not going out.”