Uber China raises $1.2bn led by Baidu while local rival Didi Kuaidi bags $3bn September 7, 2015 China is the new battleground for Uber – and now it has landed billions to fund a fight against a rival which calls the country home turf. Speaking to Chinese media, Uber boss Travis Kalanick confirmed UberChina has bagged at least $1.2bn (£787m) in its latest round of funding, with the investment led by one of [...]
Uber drivers given green light by US judge to launch class-action lawsuit September 3, 2015 Uber drivers have been given the go-ahead by a judge in the US to launch a class-action lawsuit which could result in its model being radically altered Read more: Uber vs black cab: Who wins among London passengers? – Brand Index The drivers are fighting for the right to be classed as employees rather [...]
Why your chief executive should wear a hoodie: Those with the technical know-how are increasingly in demand for the top jobs September 2, 2015 In the early days of a startup, once your company achieved scale, the technical founder would step back to be replaced with a “professional chief executive”. This used to be commonplace; everyone from Cisco to eBay went through the management team merry-go-round. But the tide is turning and there is a growing acceptance [...]
Black Cabs are offering cut-price off-peak fares to take on Uber September 2, 2015 London’s Black Cabs have launched a fightback against Uber and other app-based taxi services by offering cut-price, off-peak fares for journeys over six miles. The new prices will be up to 30 per cent lower than metered fares and can be booked through an app from Gett, an Israeli startup backed by Russia-born billionaire Len [...]
As the satnav led to Uber’s success, how long before portals Rightmove and Zoopla create global estate agents? September 1, 2015 The rapid rise of Uber among its consumer base is often commented on by those looking for an example of a game changing force within an industry. But it isn’t just the taxi app's innovative use of tech or lower price, it’s much more than that. It has literally transformed the landscape of the taxi [...]
How New York City’s yellow taxis are fighting back at Uber through ride-hailing app Arro August 28, 2015 London’s black cabs aren’t the only ones fuming: across the world, cab companies have been losing customers to ride-hailing app Uber. But New York City cabbies are trying a new way of fighting back – by giving the app a taste of its own medicine. Hoping to win back some customers that have gone over [...]
Uber partners with University of Arizona to beef up its research into self-driving cars August 26, 2015 Uber’s getting serious about driverless cars, after the ride-hailing app teamed up with the University of Arizona to research new technology for autonomous cars. The strategic partnership between the two will focus on the optics systems needed to make driverless cars safe for roads, according to a statement from Uber: We’ll work with some of [...]
Uber trials bus-route style pick-ups in San Francisco August 25, 2015 Uber's not content with just offering rides on-demand in hundreds of cities around the world. Now the startup is trialing a new feature that offers bus-style pick-ups along certain routes. The so-called "smart routes" are being tested out on the streets of San Francisco and build upon its existing Uber Pool service that lets you [...]
Uber IPO? Leaked reports suggest Uber plans to go public within two years August 21, 2015 Ride-hailing app Uber could become a public company by early 2017, according to a leaked document intended for investors, reports news agency Reuters. A confidential document outlining a presentation intended for potential investors in the company’s Chinese arm UberChina revealed that the parent company is forecast to go public within 18-24 months. Speculation about the [...]
Uber safety: “Lax” background checks slammed as convicted criminals allowed to become drivers August 20, 2015 Background checks by taxi-hailing app Uber have come under fire, after California prosecutors slammed it for security routines so lax that convicted sex offenders and even murderers were allegedly allowed to become drivers. California prosecutors are widening a civil lawsuit they originally brought against Uber in December last year, alleging that the company misleads customers [...]