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Squishmallows, dentures, and an ‘I Heart Hot Dads’ bag: Uber has found thousands of items left in robotaxis

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For the past 10 years, Uber’s annual Lost & Found Index has provided a rather quirky anthropological snapshot of its riders — and even a few insights into society. The annual catalogue of millions of forgotten items ranges from mundane modern-day tools such as smartphones and laptops, to more eyebrow-raising objects like live fish, an ankle monitor, a toboggan, a package of live butterflies, and a single Louboutin shoe.

This year, Uber is using the report to highlight the same old problem of lost items with a new twist: robotaxis. Thousands of items (it’s a bit too new for millions) were left behind in robotaxis on Uber’s ride-hailing network in the past year, the company said Tuesday. There were the usual suspects of phones, keys, wallets, passports, and headphones, along with a few items that strayed into the who-is-this-rider category: a set of dentures, an “I Heart Hot Dads” bag, and a blue hat that reads “Emotional Support Human.”

Beyond this entertaining list lies a business opportunity, if a minor one. Even in a future of robot taxis, someone still has to return the things passengers leave behind.

Uber has spent the past several years locking up dozens of partnerships with autonomous vehicle (AV) technology companies. But it really wasn’t until March 2025, when the “Waymo on Uber” robotaxi service launched in Austin, that the commercial wheels on its AV business started turning. Since then, Uber and Waymo have also started a robotaxi service in Atlanta. Uber has added other AV companies to its app in the past year, including Motional in Las Vegas and Avride in Dallas, although these still have human safety operators behind the wheel.

That Uber has already logged thousands of lost items in just 12 months gives some sense of just how many robotaxi rides have been completed on its app. The underlying message here is that Uber’s existing network is already set up to reunite riders with their lost items, including a 15-pound yo-yo, one large black marble duck, a Squishmallow, and a Charli XCX poster.

When an Uber rider forgets belongings in a robotaxi, the process for recovering them is similar to any other Uber ride: open the app, click the activity tab, select the trip during which the item was lost, and contact customer support. Riders are then able to message, chat, or call a support agent. If the item is located, they have two options: pay $15 for an Uber Courier driver to provide same-day local delivery, or pick up the belonging in person from an AV depot, where the vehicles are stored and serviced.

Uber Courier is a rebrand of Uber Connect, which launched in 2020 and allowed users to send packages and personal items between local addresses. But Uber says there is more to its robotaxi support network than repurposing existing services.

“With tens of millions of lost items reported on Uber each year, we’ve spent the last decade building systems that help riders quickly and seamlessly reunite with their belongings,” Amy Satrom, global head of autonomous support at Uber, said in a statement. “As autonomous rides continue to scale on Uber, we’re bringing that same expertise to AVs — combining our fleet operations, support teams, and hybrid network to make getting a lost item back simple, even when there’s no driver behind the wheel.”

In February, the company announced Uber Autonomous Solutions, a new business division that conveys its bigger ambitions around driverless tech. The division provides companies with a suite of services that handle all the tasks associated with operating a robotaxi, self-driving truck, or sidewalk delivery robot business, including software and support services.

And Uber clearly means to make AVs a major revenue driver. The company plans to offer robotaxi rides through its app in as many as 15 cities globally by the end of the year and has said it intends to be the largest facilitator of AV trips in the world by 2029.

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NFF’s Working Towards Resuming CAF A-license Coaching Course In Nigeria – Sanusi

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The general-secretary of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Mohammed Sanusi has disclosed that egg heads and technical buffs of the governing body are working hard towards brining an A-license coaching course back to the country.

Sports247 reports that Sanusi made the disclosure while speaking at the ongoing Confederation of African Football (CAF) B-license coaches refresher course in Abuja, which he said became imperative to upgrade the country’s tacticians.

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While revealing that the coaching course is running alongside a similar training programme for referees in the country, Sanusi, who is one of the instructors, affirmed that the dual-programme will bring huge benefits for participants.

Sanusi, who spoke on behalf of NFF president, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, at the opening ceremony of the six-day course in Abuja on Monday, further disclosed that specialized paths have been introduced in building of capacity in the sector.

He specifically mentioned programmes in the areas of young talent, beach soccer and FIFA elite referees that were organized earlier this month, then disclosed that Nigeria has been admitted back into the CAF A-License Coaching Convention.

The NFF scribe described this development as a significant step for Nigerian coaches and urged them to diligently build their capacity towards the highest level possible in the game, then urged participants to show total commitment to excel.

“The technical department is now working assiduously towards resuming the CAF A-License course in Nigeria in August, for the first time in nine years. We have a total of 50 participants for the refresher course, but only 25 will be admitted.

“We will set very high standards and only the best will cross the hurdle. That does not mean we are going to close the door for others. Immediately we are done with this CAF A-course starting in August, we will apply for another one at that level.”

Sanusi also revealed that Gusau, who is also the president of West African Football Union (WAFU) zone-B, has approved a vehicle to move Video Assistant Referee (VAR) training equipment into Nigeria to upgrade match arbiters in the country.

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Kaduna Mob Killing: Muslim lawyers demand probe of police custody breach

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The Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria, Kaduna branch, has condemned the mob killing of a woman at the Maraban Jos area of Kaduna. The association described the incident as barbaric and a serious threat to the rule of law.

This was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday in Kaduna, signed by its chairman, Awwal Shittu, and secretary, Ibrahim Bawa.

MULAN expressed shock and sadness over reports of the attack, murder, and burning of the woman following allegations of child theft. It described the act as jungle justice and maintained that no allegation of criminal conduct justifies extrajudicial punishment.

The association stated that the killing violated the victim’s fundamental right to life as guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution.

It said the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly reports that the victim was removed from police custody before being killed, raised serious concerns about security procedures and the protection of persons in lawful custody.

According to MULAN, if confirmed, the development points to possible lapses that require urgent and transparent investigation.

“The duty of law enforcement agencies is to protect lives, maintain law and order, and ensure that suspects are subjected only to lawful investigation and prosecution. No person in police custody should be surrendered, directly or indirectly, to mob violence,” the association stated.

MULAN called for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the killing and the surrounding circumstances. It also demanded the identification, arrest, and prosecution of all persons involved in carrying out, encouraging, or facilitating the mob action.

The association further urged authorities to investigate the conduct of the security personnel responsible for the deceased’s custody and protection and to apply disciplinary or legal sanctions where necessary.

While commending the police for arrests already made and its commitment to prosecuting those responsible, MULAN stressed that justice must be impartial and extend beyond those physically present at the scene.

The association said investigations should also examine possible acts of negligence, complicity, or omission that may have contributed to the incident.

It pledged to monitor the investigation and prosecution process and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting human rights, accountability, and the sanctity of life through lawful means.

MULAN reiterated that under Nigerian law, every suspect remains innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. The association warned that mob justice undermines public confidence in lawful institutions and threatens social order.

It also extended condolences to the deceased’s family and prayed for peace, justice, and greater respect for the rule of law.

The incident has attracted reactions from stakeholders following the barbaric act.

The police command in Kaduna condemned the mob action and announced the arrest of suspects in connection with the incident, saying that investigations continue.

(NAN)

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