Is Mercedes the next Uber? Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche plans driverless limos on-demand
The maker of Mercedes-Benz cars has set out its ambitions to create a high-end Uber service – with driverless cars.
Ticking what must be all the boxes when it comes to cutting-edge transport tech trends, Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche told Reuters that developing driverless transport services with limousines was "a concrete goal" of the German car maker.
"It would be even more convenient if the car came to you autonomously. And it would be extremely practical if the Car2Go appeared without needing to be prompted, once my appointment in the calendar had come to an end," he said speaking at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Car2Go, which withdrew from the UK last year, is Mercedes-Benz's car-sharing service where drivers can pick up a smart car from parking spaces around cities to rent.
Speaking to Reuters about the combination of self-driving cars and rental services, Zetsche said: "I think you don't need too much imagination to see that by combining these strengths, attractive business models are possible in future."
Daimler's driverless plans ramped up a gear last month, when along with Audi and BMW it picked up Nokia's maps business for €2.8bn to help with navigation efforts.