Google launches Uber rival RideWith • Hacker News Board

Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith

#81

Post by XaspR8d » Mon, Jul 06, 2015, 4:10 PM UTC

OscarCunningham wrote: post #74

minthd wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe we'll see an Apple car. But i suspect in general ,that self-driving cars and especially taxis would push the car market to derive much less value from branding and marketing and much more value from hardcore technology with design being much less a differentiator than today - at least for the mass market. But even if Apple sells cars to 5% of the population , it could be a big business for them.

>i suspect in general ,that self-driving cars and especially taxis would push the car market to derive much less value from branding and marketing and much more value from hardcore technology with design being much less a differentiator than today Why?

A lot of people have hypothesized that autonomous vehicles will drastically change the economics such that daily car sharing/rental will be cheaper than car ownership, and similarly convenient. This might in turn lead to a decline in car culture and personal car ownership. With a larger percentage of vehicles being owned by companies (or at least by individuals who are often loaning out their vehicle to the network), the distinguishing factors in the market may shift away from personal taste and lean more heavily on efficiency and safety and gadgetry.

A lot of hypothetical guesswork in there of course, but those are the kind of ideas I've heard lately on the matter.

Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith

#82

Post by saosebastiao » Mon, Jul 06, 2015, 4:15 PM UTC

shaunrussell wrote: post #69

Who takes an Uber to work?

It seems absurd to me too, but I know plenty of people that do it at Amazon. Typically in positions that are paying $300k+, or people that are 75+% travel. I guess it's about the convenience of not having to park more than anything else.

Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith

#83

Post by jnbiche » Mon, Jul 06, 2015, 4:23 PM UTC

onion2k wrote: post #19

abluecloud wrote: post #2

> Drivers will only be able to make two trips per day, and the software will ensure they only travel from their home neighborhoods to their workplaces. > There also won’t be a ton of money changing hands as a passenger will pay the driver only a nominal fare for the trip I'd hardly call it a Uber rival

I wouldn't have called Uber a "taxi rival" when they were an app for hiring a town car either. Things change. This is Google's first toe-in-the-water for apps to request a ride, but it obviously won't be their last. Considering how much they've invested in autonomous vehicles only a crazy person would believe they're going to leave the entire market for self-driving taxis wide open for Uber etc. Google will have a ta…

> This is Google's first toe-in-the-water for apps to request a ride, but it obviously won't be their last.

What makes you think it won't be their last? Google frequently puts their toes in the water and then decides it's too cold to swim. It's like, their modus operandi.

Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith

#84

Post by saalweachter » Mon, Jul 06, 2015, 4:29 PM UTC

wheaties wrote: post #62

Is it me or is Google doing the Microsoft "Me too!" with all these things they're trying and then closing down a few months later?

Some of it is probably a bit of me-too-ism, but keep in mind that both Microsoft and Google are huge companies with a large number of people working semi-autonomously. Sometimes a team of a half dozen or so has been working on something just like it for three years on-and-off and, having been beaten to the punch, they go ahead and launch whatever they have rather than let it go cold.

It's not terribly surprising that some of these ventures are short-lived and half-baked; there's a reason they hadn't launched earlier. But once you've spent three goddamn years of your life on something, you might as well try a Hail Mary before the project is shut down.

Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith

#85

Post by unprepare » Mon, Jul 06, 2015, 4:29 PM UTC

frozenport wrote: post #64

Dumb question: how is this Google's core business?

If sharing a ride with someone frees up my attention to use my smartphone instead of watching the road, google can make more money advertising to me during that time.

Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith

#86

Post by blfr » Mon, Jul 06, 2015, 4:34 PM UTC

crazychrome wrote: post #67

wheaties wrote: post #62

Is it me or is Google doing the Microsoft "Me too!" with all these things they're trying and then closing down a few months later?

Unlike Microsoft, who had the will and executive ability to expand to new territories and destroy competitors, Google has a remarkable record of half-baked works and giving up. it's a joke.

Google has, very successfully I would argue, expanded into mobile. They bought a mobile OS and turned it into the global market leader. This is the biggest change in consumer technology since the web and they did not miss it.

Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith

#87

Post by stoshe » Mon, Jul 06, 2015, 4:50 PM UTC

dpflan wrote: post #61

tdaltonc wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are, of course, correct, but is that a distinction that matters?

I thought to some degree it does, given the stated 'independence' of GV but the thick spreading of association with Google. Perhaps that is why GV and GC exist, to support technological development, and help spur innovation at the mothership? Google can then acquire the incubated companies or become firmly connected with them.

Even if Google never moves to acquire Uber, though, they may simply look at it as Uber creating the social acceptance and market demand for this type of service. That would then make Google entering into the market with a competing service later an easier and a more predictably profitable venture.

Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith

#88

Post by MarcScott » Mon, Jul 06, 2015, 4:51 PM UTC

Does this mean we can look forward to fleets of self-driving cars roaming the streets and waiting for someone to hail them with Google's app?

Or maybe your personal self-driving car will inform you that there are people travelling your route that you can share fuel costs with.

Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith

#89

Post by chockablock » Mon, Jul 06, 2015, 4:51 PM UTC

shaunrussell wrote: post #69

Who takes an Uber to work?

UberPool in SF is currently $7 each way within city limits and my wife takes it to/from work frequently.

Compared to us buying a second car, this is incredibly cost-effective, and would be worth it at 3x the price. (Monthly cost of ownership of a used car in SF would be ~$1000/mo including parking spaces at work and home).

The only other cost-competitive option is MUNI, which is $2.25 each way (or less if you commit to a monthly pass, and/or pay using before-tax income). She does use MUNI occasionally, but there are no direct routes serving her commute, and it is often unreliable at commute times.

Ridesharing for commuters is not always some absurd luxury--it can be an economically sensible luxury :)

Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith

#90

Post by cryptoz » Mon, Jul 06, 2015, 5:04 PM UTC

jnbiche wrote: post #83

onion2k wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't have called Uber a "taxi rival" when they were an app for hiring a town car either. Things change. This is Google's first toe-in-the-water for apps to request a ride, but it obviously won't be their last. Considering how much they've invested in autonomous vehicles only a crazy person would believe they're going to leave the entire market for self-driving taxis wide open for Uber etc. Google will have a ta…

> This is Google's first toe-in-the-water for apps to request a ride, but it obviously won't be their last. What makes you think it won't be their last? Google frequently puts their toes in the water and then decides it's too cold to swim. It's like, their modus operandi.

I think it's pretty clear that this won't be their last effort in this area. In this case, you can take the very-close-proximity efforts by them - self driving cars - that they are taking very seriously, and extend that expectation here.

Does it really make sense that Google would build self-driving cars without also thinking about ride sharing technology and userbase? I think the primary use case of Google's cars will be optimal ride sharing, doesn't everyone think this as well?

Sure, their MO is to try things out and ditch the ones that don't work - and this one may not work. But if it doesn't, I'd bet that they'd try again. There's a perfect fit between self-driving technology and ride sharing (hence Uber's interest in self-driving cars).