In an effort to counter the surge of the online cab-hailing service Uber, Google has launched a ride-sharing service in the US starting from San Francisco.
The Alphabet’s carpooling program, Waze, is operational around Google’s headquarters in San Fransisco since May this year, and Alphabet plans to expand the service in other parts of the city this fall. The users use Waze application to connect with one another for convenient vehicle-sharing.
Although, as reported by WSJ, the service is a potential take on Uber, it isn’t very much like it. Uber acts as a middle ground for the drivers, the car investors, and as well as for the passengers. All of the communication occurs through it. While, Waze is much more like a platform which can be used by different travelers to coordinate with each other. It is a carpooling platform.
Google had acquired Waze, an Israeli startup, back in 2013 for $1.1 Bn. The company operates within the framework of Google. Right now, it has about 65 million of active users.
Uber once used Google maps for its own mapping needs but quite recently it has started to work on its own mapping platform. Google also had invested a hefty sum into Uber back in 2013. The professional rivalry, however, has intensified. Now, both of the companies are working on driver-less cars which definitely makes the future.
One important thing many startup founders easily ignore