The chief executive of Uber has apologised after video emerged of him getting into an ill-tempered argument with one of the company's drivers about falling pay rates.

Travis Kalanick has said he needs to "grow up" and get help after the embarrassing dashcam footage showed him angrily dismissing the driver's concerns.

The businessman, who had been travelling with two women, was coming to the end of his Uber journey in San Francisco when driver Fawzi Kamel asked him why the ride-hailing app has slashed the prices customers pay for every mile they travel.

"People are not trusting you anymore … I lost $97,000 (£78,370) because of you. I'm bankrupt because of you," Mr Kamel had said.

Mr Kalanick dismissed the driver's concerns as "bulls***", and told him: "Some people don't like to take responsibility for their own s***. They blame everything in their life on somebody else."


Image: Travis Kalanick was filmed describing an Uber driver's concerns as 'bulls***'

In the footage, obtained by Bloomberg, the Uber boss is seen leaving the car and slamming the door behind him.

The driver said he left Mr Kalanick a one-star rating after the rude exchange.

After the video emerged, the chief executive said he was ashamed for treating the driver disrespectfully - and offered an apology.

In a statement, Mr Kalanick added: "It's clear this video is a reflection of me - and the criticism we've received is a stark reminder that I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up.

"This is the first time I've been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it."

Uber's image has been battered by several scandals in recent months - with the company battling an employee's allegations that she was sexually harassed, not to mention damning claims of cut-throat management and a toxic work environment within the organisation.

Image: Uber has suffered a series of embarrassments in recent months

Mr Kalanick also caused controversy after he accepted an invitation to be a part of a business advisory group for President Donald Trump.

His involvement in the group sparked a backlash from the app's customers, with the hashtag #DeleteUber going viral on Twitter, and he stepped down soon afterwards.

On top of this, Google's parent company Alphabet recently announced it is suing Uber for allegedly stealing the technology it is using to create self-driving cars - a claim Uber denies.