India

CCPA Orders Ola to Drop Pre‑Ride Tip Feature, Imposes ₹10 Lakh Fine

By Sanjeev K Jha

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has ordered Ola operator ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd to discontinue its pre‑ride tip feature, which suggested that extra payments could help passengers secure rides faster. The authority imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty on the company for soliciting additional payments from passengers before the completion of their rides, calling the practice an “unfair trade practice and a dark pattern.”

The CCPA, headed by chief commissioner Nidhi Khare and commissioner Anupam Mishra, examined different versions of the Ola app interface. Although the company had renamed the feature from “tip” to “add‑on,” the authority found that its underlying purpose and functioning remained unchanged. Messages such as “Adding a tip might help increase the chances of getting a ride faster” and “Tip now to boost the chances of getting a ride sooner” appeared while the app was searching for a driver, creating the impression that additional payment could speed up ride confirmation.

Ola’s own booking data for 1–15 June 2026 contradicted this suggestion. Requests carrying an add‑on were accepted less frequently than those without one. In Delhi the acceptance rate was 38 % for requests with an add‑on versus 62 % without; in Bengaluru it was 40 % versus 68 %; and in Mumbai it was 39 % versus 68 %. The CCPA noted that Ola’s claim that additional payments did not influence ride allocation was inconsistent with the messages shown.

The authority also found that the company failed to disclose material information about driver acceptance rates and the basis for determining suggested payment amounts. It said soliciting a tip before providing a service effectively converted a voluntary gratuity into a pre‑service payment and violated Clause 14.15 of the Motor Vehicles Aggregators Guidelines, 2025, which permits tipping only after completion of a journey.

After reviewing the app under the Dark Patterns Guidelines, 2023, the CCPA held that the prompts amounted to “confirm shaming.” By suggesting that passengers could improve their chances of getting a ride through additional payments, the interface created apprehension among those who chose not to pay. The authority also flagged pre‑set payment amounts, the absence of an option to close the prompt, and messages such as “Generous Add On!” as design elements encouraging passengers to pay extra. It said passengers booking rides from hospitals, railway stations, bus terminals and airports could be particularly vulnerable, including elderly people, patients, solo travellers and those travelling at night.

The CCPA has directed Ola to stop all pre‑journey payment prompts, irrespective of whether they are described as tips, add‑ons or additional fares, and to ensure compliance with consumer protection and advertising regulations. The authority has also initiated action against other cab aggregators over similar practices. It has already imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty on Rapido, while proceedings against Uber and Namma Yatri are under investigation. Ola’s representative could not be reached for comment despite an email seeking the company’s response.