How to solve the efficiency and security problems caused by the “Wait X Minutes” on the takeaway platform?

　　Sino-Singapore Jingwei Client, September 11 (Song Yafen) In response to a recent article that disclosed the safety issues of the "Takeaway Brother" in the "Live Algorithm" under the requirements of efficiency and performance, are the food delivery platforms hungry and Meituan Waimai successively Speak up and introduce measures to try to improve the safety dilemma of "Takeaway Brother".

However, the move to make consumers "wait X more minutes" has fallen into controversy, and has been accused of "dumping consumers."

　　So, does the problem of frequent accidents of "Takeaway Brother" mainly lie in the algorithm?

Is there a balance between pursuing efficiency and ensuring the safety of the "Takeaway Brother"?

What is the key point to solve the problem?

　　A few days ago, a report called "Takeaway Riders, Stuck in the System" caused widespread public concern about the safety of riders.

The article pointed out that system algorithms and many other factors are constantly increasing the requirements for delivery time. In order to fight for time, "Takeaway Brothers" speeding, retrograde, red light running and other situations often occur, which leads to a rapid number of traffic accidents for this group. Rise and become a "high-level occupation."

　　In response to this issue on the 9th, Ele.me stated that it would release the new feature of "wait 5 or 10 minutes longer" as soon as possible to encourage consumers to give riders more time; at the same time, it provides a reward mechanism for some outstanding riders and exemption of individual order overtime.

Meituan said it will optimize the scheduling system to allow 8 minutes of flexible time for riders.

　　However, netizens do not buy into the platform's actions, criticizing the "wait 5 minutes" and other functions as "throwing the pot" for consumers, and it cannot solve the problem fundamentally.

　　Sun Ping, an assistant researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes that the takeaway rider’s action to challenge the traffic rules is an “inverse algorithm.” It is a last resort labor practice made by the riders under the control and discipline of the system algorithm for a long time. The direct consequence is The number of traffic accidents encountered by delivery workers has risen sharply.

　　Cao Heping, a professor at the School of Economics at Peking University, believes that this view is reasonable.

"The speed of food delivery in China is too fast compared to developed countries. It is almost impossible. I think it should be slower and safer. Safety factors should be included in the process. The efficiency factor is not only the faster the better. ."

　　Fan Libo, a professor at the School of Business of the University of International Business and Economics, bluntly stated in an interview with the Sino-Singapore Jingwei Client, "Algorithms are already a technology abuse in some places."

　　Fan Libo pointed out that blindly maintaining efficiency will lose fairness and sympathy.

Companies must consider issues of fairness, respect, awe of nature, and sympathy for the weak.

Algorithms are profit-oriented and efficiency is paramount, but they bring more trouble to others and even bring disasters. There must be a balance between efficiency and fairness.

　　So, how to ensure the safety of the "Takeaway Brother" as much as possible while pursuing efficiency?

Fan Libo believes that supervision can be strengthened from the legal level, and the application of algorithms cannot rely solely on the moral constraints of the enterprise itself.

　　Cao Heping suggested putting safety factors into the algorithm system, and increasing the weight of safety assessment in the entire software system, to combine safety and efficiency.

"In the objective function of its entire algorithm system, it is necessary to put safety and humanity into it. After putting in safety factors, litigation and judicial cases will be reduced in the future, and you will find that the company grows more steadily. Safety and efficiency are reflected. A kind of humanity."

　　In addition, although the time for consumers to order meals is usually concentrated, there is a difference between being particularly anxious and not too anxious.

Cao Heping believes that the classification of products should be more detailed, such as creating two kinds of products, one for fast delivery and the other for normal speed delivery.

In order to restrict platform behavior, a third-party evaluation company can be introduced for supervision, and the government can participate and guide appropriately in this regard.

(Zhongxin Jingwei APP)

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