Feds probe Uber's tracking of Lyft drivers

The Justice Department is investigating whether Uber illegally used software to track drivers for Lyft, its main ride-hailing competitor, to gain an advantage in attracting and recruiting drivers, according to two people familiar with the probe. The FBI and the U.S. attorney's office in New York's Southern District want to know if use of the software, which created fake customer accounts, broke any federal laws, said the people, who didn't want to be identified because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly. An Uber spokeswoman said Friday it is cooperating in the probe and that use of the software has been discontinued. The U.S. attorney's office would not comment on the case. The investigation adds to mounting legal problems for Uber, including allegations of corporate espionage involving autonomous vehicle technology and at least one other federal investigation into use of software to thwart local government efforts to monitor its operations.