Uber's UberX service lets pretty much anyone with a car make money as an amateur cab driver, but what if they don't actually want to get paid? Uber is now launching a ridesharing service in Beijing that allows drivers to offer rides without charging for any more than they're spending on gas or other fees and maintenance. The service is called People's Uber, and it works just like the traditional Uber service: riders use the app to request a ride, and drivers use the app to find passengers.

While drivers may be interested in People's Uber as a way to help improve local transit in their own small way, Uber's motivation for it is a bit less clear. The new service won't be bringing in any profit for Uber, but presumably any use of the Uber app is a positive — and getting people hooked on low-cost rides could eventually convince them to hail a traditional Uber black car. For now, it appears that People's Uber is only a trial though, so it's possible that it won't end up leaving Beijing.