Right/wrong seems to be not really applicable as a choice of answer here: What the article pivots on is that, earlier, human interaction was an essential part

Right/wrong seems to be not really applicable as a choice of answer here: What the article pivots on is that, earlier, human interaction was an essential part of the ride experience. You get into someone else's car and if only for etiquette, you have a conversation to make everyone comfortable among strangers. Now the driver describes that the part of the human interaction clearly and distinctly has started to wane. This caters to people that prefer the quiet ride, adding to their popularity: Earlier, if really you wanted a quiet ride, you had to pick a different means of transport. There's no right or wrong here. Just the insight that ride-hailing apps have become the catalyst for a situation (strangers sitting in a car together, basically pretending the other doesn't exist) that otherwise may not have existed. Personally, I prefer quiet rides too, but I made it a habit to be friendly and courteous to the driver when starting and ending the ride, just out of respect. In my own experience that makes everyone a bit happier.