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Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

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Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#41

Post by nilkn »

rottyguy wrote: post #25

Am I the only one thinking a targeted convergence with driverless cars down the road (no pun intended)? Once you remove the largest cost factor (the human), does pricing reduce to $.56/mi (or whatever the Standard Mileage Rate, or derivative thereof, is at the time). Added with Express to overload deliveries to maximize utility (maybe offer riders a discount if they can make an express stop along the way...)

On-demand driverless transportation from any A to any B at $.56/mile would be truly revolutionary. I wonder how many years off we are from this.

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#42

Post by toomuchtodo »

1ris wrote: post #15
geoffwoo wrote: post #2

Google could cut Uber down hard by pulling Google Maps API access. Ballsiest play Google has ever done if they execute on this. Love it.

OSM is a way better anyway. This would improve uber.

Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Google puts an incredible amount of effort into their GIS/mapping division, and OSM would be hard pressed to compete with those resources.

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#43

Post by jsprogrammer »

Kalium wrote: post #36
thrownaway2424 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well you're in luck on that last point, because nobody has ever paid for their meal with Google Wallet.

I've bought food with Wallet before. And made a meal of it. So, I suppose I have.

Better be on the look out. NSA might blackbag you.

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#44

Post by FeeTinesAMady »

paulhauggis wrote: post #29
geoffwoo wrote: post #2

Google could cut Uber down hard by pulling Google Maps API access. Ballsiest play Google has ever done if they execute on this. Love it.

so when any other company does something like this, we cry anti-trust. But when Google does it, it's good business? I'm not sure where all of this Google love comes from on HN (besides all of the engineers that work there). Google is just as evil as any large corporation. They may surgar-coat everything with a "do no evil" mantra, but it's just good PR. When you peel back these layers, it's business as usual.

It might be more that a lot of people consider Uber to be a despicable company, and Google is the lesser of those evils in this case.

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#45

Post by toomuchtodo »

nilkn wrote: post #41
rottyguy wrote: post #25

Am I the only one thinking a targeted convergence with driverless cars down the road (no pun intended)? Once you remove the largest cost factor (the human), does pricing reduce to $.56/mi (or whatever the Standard Mileage Rate, or derivative thereof, is at the time). Added with Express to overload deliveries to maximize utility (maybe offer riders a discount if they can make an express stop along the way...)

On-demand driverless transportation from any A to any B at $.56/mile would be truly revolutionary. I wonder how many years off we are from this.

Electric vehicles cost about 1-3 cents/mile for the electricity. They also require so little service, I would assume the cost would be closer to 10-20 cents/mile for a self-driving electric vehicle.

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#46

Post by bobbles »

VikingCoder wrote: post #17
Vermeulen wrote: post #5

Google seems unable to have a partner without eventually entering their market and becoming enemies. Apple before Android, Twitter before Google+ - I guess it's inevitable with how many different industries Google tries to tackle. I think if this service is entirely defined by autonomous vehicles it's really a complete different service than Uber. No more driver ratings or passenger ratings, all the same car type, an…

"all the same car type" I can't imagine why you think this. I'm picturing that you can order the Google autonomous car that has a 42" TV screen, a hot tub, and a magnum of champagne. Or the stretch limo. Or a flatbed truck. Maybe one without a passenger compartment. Picture "PODS." Portable On-Demand Storage. Except the thing just drives to your house. Picture ordering "Lightning McQueen" for your kid's birthday part…

I'd love a service where I can rent some storage unit out in the middle of the country somewher (I live in Australia..) for cheap cheap prices, then just call a car/van to my house with an app, load it up with gear, and have it delivered out to my storage unit.

Seems like a great way to handle people in my situation where I can only afford a small place but don't necessarily want to get rid of all my stuff just because my current location doesnt work for it

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#47

Post by rottyguy »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #45
nilkn wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On-demand driverless transportation from any A to any B at $.56/mile would be truly revolutionary. I wonder how many years off we are from this.

Electric vehicles cost about 1-3 cents/mile for the electricity. They also require so little service, I would assume the cost would be closer to 10-20 cents/mile for a self-driving electric vehicle.

I was baselining from here: http://www.irs.gov/2014-Standard-Mileage-Rates-for-Business,...

but, sure, it would most likely be less.

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#48

Post by haberman »

> David Drummond, Google’s chief legal officer and senior vice president of corporate development, joined the Uber board of directors in 2013, and has served on it ever since.

Not super related to this story, but I always have to wonder: why do powerful people join boards? What's in it for them? It seems like an awful lot of work, responsibility, and potential for conflict of interest. What do board members get out of it?

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#49

Post by [deleted] »

haberman wrote: post #48

> David Drummond, Google’s chief legal officer and senior vice president of corporate development, joined the Uber board of directors in 2013, and has served on it ever since. Not super related to this story, but I always have to wonder: why do powerful people join boards? What's in it for them? It seems like an awful lot of work, responsibility, and potential for conflict of interest. What do board members get out o…

[deleted]

Re: Google Is Developing Its Own Uber Competitor

#50

Post by klochner »

haberman wrote: post #48

> David Drummond, Google’s chief legal officer and senior vice president of corporate development, joined the Uber board of directors in 2013, and has served on it ever since. Not super related to this story, but I always have to wonder: why do powerful people join boards? What's in it for them? It seems like an awful lot of work, responsibility, and potential for conflict of interest. What do board members get out o…

Influence, and they also get paid - as much as $500k/year for public corporations, and equity at startups.
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