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Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

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Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#281

So much criticism of Google! My question: Why on earth would Google want to cede any significant chunk of the personal transport value stream to Uber - or acquire them at a $40Bil+ valuation - when the main (only?) semi-uniquely valuable thing Uber have (a large network of drivers) is worth approximately zero dollars in a self-driving vehicle scenario. Uber are valuable and effective in a human-driven vehicle model b…

Surely the riders install base is quite valuable if both were to have as good tech and self driving cars

Yes - very important. Google has failed entering other markets. The name isn't enough. But... This involves some hard science, which they're outstanding at.

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#282

This is not at all a surprise, and I fully expect Amazon to also ultimately enter this space. (I have no insider knowledge of either company.) It's amazing to me how many people think that Uber is somehow building a deep moat when these other companies (Google, Amazon, etc.) have a much deeper connection with their customers -- to say nothing of the data that have collected. Given perfect rider competition and (espec…

Amazon already is building an on-demand grocery service, and Jeff Bezos has long made it clear that he wants all the inventory at Amazon Warehouses to be delivered within hours to the customer. It wouldn't be stretch to think that Amazon would enter the on-demand logistics market (not just Taxi) at some point in time, cause it has got most pieces of the puzzle sorted. Same goes for Google, as it tries to take on e-commerce market with its own offerings.

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#284

So much criticism of Google! My question: Why on earth would Google want to cede any significant chunk of the personal transport value stream to Uber - or acquire them at a $40Bil+ valuation - when the main (only?) semi-uniquely valuable thing Uber have (a large network of drivers) is worth approximately zero dollars in a self-driving vehicle scenario. Uber are valuable and effective in a human-driven vehicle model b…

Surely the riders install base is quite valuable if both were to have as good tech and self driving cars

> Surely the riders install base is quite valuable if both

Google can force install their app on any android device. And if they are first driverless car owners I expect very high google ranking for all of Uber controversies in their search engine.

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#286

So much criticism of Google! My question: Why on earth would Google want to cede any significant chunk of the personal transport value stream to Uber - or acquire them at a $40Bil+ valuation - when the main (only?) semi-uniquely valuable thing Uber have (a large network of drivers) is worth approximately zero dollars in a self-driving vehicle scenario. Uber are valuable and effective in a human-driven vehicle model b…

The value is only partially in the driver base. Drivers are tangible. But the true value is intangible. There is enormous brand value in thinking "I'll get an Uber" as a synonym for "I'll get a taxi, but right what I need it, and it probably will smell better." There is value of having that app on the phone, with credit card # already in place. But perhaps more important is that Uber is building a graph of everyone w…

>There is enormous brand value in thinking "I'll get an Uber"

I'll get an Uber, maybe I wont get raped

I'll get an Uber, maybe I wont be billed $200

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#288

So much criticism of Google! My question: Why on earth would Google want to cede any significant chunk of the personal transport value stream to Uber - or acquire them at a $40Bil+ valuation - when the main (only?) semi-uniquely valuable thing Uber have (a large network of drivers) is worth approximately zero dollars in a self-driving vehicle scenario. Uber are valuable and effective in a human-driven vehicle model b…

The value is only partially in the driver base. Drivers are tangible. But the true value is intangible. There is enormous brand value in thinking "I'll get an Uber" as a synonym for "I'll get a taxi, but right what I need it, and it probably will smell better." There is value of having that app on the phone, with credit card # already in place. But perhaps more important is that Uber is building a graph of everyone w…

Uber's brand doesn't seem very strong to me ("Oh yeah! Uber! They're the ones who deny any responsibility for accidents and attempted kidnappings of users of their service, right?"), and in any case it's only going to be significant for the tiny fraction of the travelling population who currently use Uber. The vast majority (for whom the human chauffeur model is too expensive) will have no brand loyalty at all, and are there for the taking. Also, for Google, getting the necessary visibility is basically effortless. They have Maps (which Uber integrated their hail system into for a reason), and they have incredible robot cars that will be featured everywhere when they appear anywhere.

As for the trip data:

a) I don't think this is either worth as much or is as hard to get as Uber would like their investors to think. You only really need average bulk commuter flows in order to get a near optimal fleet distribution, and this is surprisingly easy to get surprisingly quickly, and especially easy to manage when you don't need to worry about the vehicle distribution constraints human drivers create.

b) Google have this data in spades through Android device tracking. It doesn't matter that it's anonymized and aggregated, because individual trips don't matter; only having your cars in roughly the right place to respond to specific demands.

I think Uber have grossly misrepresented the extent to which this market (personal transport using self driving vehicles) will be 'winner take most', and equally grossly misrepresented the extent to which their current position creates any sort of moat guaranteeing them the 'win'.

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#289
post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I wonder about other entrants... Perhaps Apple? Because Apple's other attempts at SaaS are going so well? You'll call an Apple Car but it'll go to Blackberry offices instead.

Apple is getting into automotives - the question is for what. They're hiring engineers away from the other auto firms. I think it's for something bigger than car stereos.

Given the new campus they're building it's probably for self-driving cars to bring engineers lunch

/s

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#290

You can talk about valuations or Google becoming a cheeky competitor to Uber but there are some deep economic implications. Millions of cab drivers or anyone who drives for a living will be losing their jobs, as a result of this.

Its almost like manual labour is not the way of the future in capitalistic society. If only we had some prior knowledge, some warning, some book to guide us to this truth. oh wait, there was this little thing 150 years ago called Das Kapital.
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