Haven't heard of cycle delivery, but doesn't surprise me. They've got a fleet of vehicles and a good logistics system, they can achieve a lot if they want.
I was going to say that renewing implies the clock is ticking (and has nearly run out), but I suppose it'd make sense to get ahead of the game in terms of renewals if the 1 year only starts from start of operations.
This all seems a bit moot given they've not actually launched at 4pm by the look of it. But I can certainly imagine they'd talked to registered drivers to find interested parties, even if they didn't have a concrete timetable.
I'd agree if Uber weren't developing their own self-driving cars. They're attempting to future proof themselves and get a leg up on any competitors. The brand already gives them a leg up, as does expanding into other areas, like their food delivery business (and I think they're trialling grocery...
It may well be using a default pricing formula, maybe something they use for long distance trips or something. Brighton Station to the Amex would be, at a guess, £12-£15 in a cab, based on the fact a cab from my place near Fiveways to the University of Sussex is £9-£11.