This is very NYC-centric. A big part of the value of Uber/Lyft is that they provide a similar service in many places where it simply wasn't available before. The automation and deprofessionalization played a big role in making that possible.
I've heard many stories about people saying that cabs and private hire companies simply wouldn't go to <neighbourhood> or pick up people who sounded non-white-affluent, meaning a large swath of people were discriminated against and couldn't get rides.
With Uber/Lyft, the driver doesn't know what I look like, what I sound like, or where I'm going until I'm in the car. And the driver has no reason to discriminate because he's getting paid regardless.