Uber says it will shut down operations in London if city council goes ahead with a plan to force drivers to have cameras in their vehicles.
The threat is outlined in a letter sent to city hall on Monday.
"Over 70 jurisdictions around the world have passed regulations that embrace ridesharing but no city in the world requires cameras in ridesharing vehicles," the letter says. "In Canada, cities that have recently passed ridesharing bylaws have not required cameras in ridesharing vehicles, including Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, Niagara Region, Waterloo Region, Oakville, Hamilton and the Province of Quebec."
City councillors voted 7-6 last week to require Uber drivers to have cameras installed in their vehicles, something Uber says will cost each driver about $1,000.
The ride-sharing service says the cameras aren't necessary since its app identifies all drivers, criminal background checks are performed on each driver, and a trackable location feature allows riders to share their route and estimated time of arrival with friends or family.
But proponents of the cameras point to an incident in December, in which a London Uber driver is alleged to have sexually assaulted a female passenger.
Uber has set up an online petition in advance of the final vote on London's vehicle for hire bylaw on February 14. As of Monday afternoon, over 4,000 people had added their names to the petition.
The letter Uber sent to city hall can be read by clicking here.
