Today, Uber is publicly releasing our new Request endpoint, which marks a significant milestone for the Uber API. We’re putting developers in the (virtual) driver’s seat, giving them the power to hit our API to request rides and dispatch driver-partners in the real world.

Calling all developers: we’re incredibly excited to see the real-world experiences you will create in your apps. To kick things off, we’re hosting our first virtual hackathon on ChallengePost — so come show us what you’ve got! The top 5 submissions will be featured on developer.uber.com, and the top team will win a trip to Uber HQ in San Francisco to brainstorm with our CEO, Travis Kalanick, and the API team*.

Today’s launch builds on a successful start for Uber’s API. We’ve seen tremendous adoption by the development community at large, including strategic partners such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., Citymapper, Transit App, and TripAdvisor. With the Request endpoint, a new wave of developers will be able to incorporate the entire Uber experience into the applications they build. Stay tuned — this is only the beginning of a series of new endpoints, so make sure to follow us @Uber_API! #bitstoatoms

Learn more about the Request endpoint, our rate limits, and the rest of the Uber API at developer.uber.com.

* See official hackathon rules for full details