Technology 'drives' wallets and technology drivers obey algorithms

No boss, no office, no timekeeping, technology drivers were once considered a model of career freedom in the 4.0 era. But behind the wheel is the invisible hand of an algorithm: deciding orders, scores, rewards, penalties and income.

Technology drivers work under the control of algorithms

On ride-hailing platforms like Grab, Gojek or Be... every ride is calculated by the system: price, pickup location, travel time, bonus level... All are programmed and operated by algorithms.

Drivers cannot bargain, and cannot freely choose orders if they want to keep their points. Even canceling or rejecting orders multiple times can lead to points being reduced, and order priority being lost without any clear explanation.

That makes each driver gradually become like a link in the machine who executes commands from the software rather than someone who actively decides on his own work.

Technology drivers and the secret competition with machines

Unlike office workers with public KPIs, technology drivers are evaluated through a closed scoring system, where every smallest operation from receiving orders, pick-up time to frequency of cancellations is scored.

One driver shared: "I drive, but it feels like I'm taking a test with a machine. The system fines, but never gives a reason."

According to Tuoi Tre Online 's investigation , many drivers have developed "tricks" to deal with the algorithm, such as turning on the app in crowded areas and then turning it off, or canceling orders at the right time to avoid being given a bad score. Some call it "gaming the system", reflecting the pressure to please AI to maintain income.

This not only shows the invisible pressure of the system, but also reflects the deviation in professional behavior due to over-reliance on scores.

Technology does not scold or punish directly, but creates silent pressure: fear of lowering scores, fear of losing orders, fear of losing bonuses.

Many drivers work 12–14 hours a day to maintain good grades, hoping to be “single priority” by the system the next day. The feeling of being constantly monitored and evaluated causes stress to build up, gradually becoming chronic stress and fatigue without anyone realizing it.

This is the gray area between freedom and exploitation: where there is no boss to scold, but technology still controls the entire work life cycle of the worker.

The "dark corners" of a smart but opaque system

The crux of the insecurity lies in the lack of transparency.

Drivers do not know why their points are deducted, or why their orders are reduced, or their bonuses are reduced. Any changes to policies or the way rewards and penalties are calculated are unilaterally applied by the platform. Workers are only informed, not given feedback or negotiation.

There are even signs of regional discrimination: drivers in suburban areas and areas with few customers are given "lower priority" than crowded central areas, leading to income differences not due to ability, but due to geographical location and system traffic. Not only in Vietnam, the story about platform drivers' rights has exploded in the US, Europe, China, India...

The EU has proposed regulations requiring platforms to disclose their scoring and assignment algorithms and allow workers a “right to explanation.” In Vietnam, the legal framework to protect tech drivers – who work “freely” but are deeply dependent on the system – remains unclear.

This is not just a story about labor rights, but also about human rights in the digital age: the right to know how you are judged, why you are being denied opportunities.

Professional freedom or digital exploitation?

Technology drivers - the model of freelance workers - now seem to live by the schedules and rules of the digital system.

They are at the wheel, but their income, their schedules, even their ability to get jobs are determined by algorithms. They choose their own hours, but only to please an invisible system, with no one to talk to, no one to negotiate with.

Technology has opened up flexible career opportunities, but without transparency and fairness, technology itself will become a shackle that suffocates occupational freedom.

Who's really driving?

The driver seems to be in control of the steering wheel, but the income and opportunities are operated by the system.

If invisible algorithms continue to rule without transparency, “free labor” becomes a cover for a new kind of digital exploitation – where humans serve machines, not the other way around.

SINGLE INTELLIGENCE

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cong-nghe-lai-vi-tien-va-tai-xe-cong-nghe-phuc-tung-thuat-toan-20250623113202732.htm