Alphabet just backed Lyft, a US rival to Uber, in a $1bn funding round October 19, 2017 Alphabet has led a $1bn investment in ride-hailing app Lyft, even though it’s also an investor in its rival Uber. The massive fundraising comes from the tech giant’s growth investment fund CapitalG and the fresh cash puts Lyft’s valuation at $11bn. Google Ventures was an early backer of Uber. Read more: SoftBank IS interested in [...]
Uber’s top policy chief in Europe Christopher Burghardt has quit amid London licence row October 17, 2017 One of Uber’s top policy chiefs in Europe has quit amid turmoil for the tech company over its London licence. Christopher Burghardt, Uber’s head of policy and communications for Europe. Middle East and Africa since the end of last year, is departing just weeks after another top executive. Jo Bertram, the woman who established Uber [...]
Jeremy Corbyn wants Uber to be replaced with a co-operative and workplace robots to be owned by workers October 14, 2017 Jeremy Corbyn has said the next Labour government could push for so-called gig economy firms like Uber to be run as co-operatives and put robots in the hands of workers. Speaking at the Co-operative Party Conference in London today, the Labour leader said technology had led to a more “rapacious and exploitative form of capitalism”. [...]
Just Eat’s Hungryhouse takeover is nearly good to go as competition watchdog gives provisional clearance October 12, 2017 The competition watchdog has provisionally paved the way for Just Eat to gobble up Hungryhouse, saying the merger does not raise concerns. Shares in Just Eat rose nearly five per cent in morning trading as investors chewed over the good news. Just Eat paid £200m for Hungryhouse, which it bought from Delivery Hero, back in [...]
One in three London car journeys to be driverless by 2025, says consortium led by Addison Lee and Ford October 12, 2017 Driverless ride-sharing could account for a third of all trips in London by private drivers in 2025, according to a government-backed consortium led by Addison Lee. Some 34 per cent of private drivers’ journeys could be replaced, while up to 30 per cent of taxi and private hire journeys could also be served by autonomous [...]
Why Apple boss Tim Cook thinks AR will be bigger than VR and is the most profound technology for humanity October 11, 2017 Apple boss Tim Cook has heralded augmented reality as the most transformative technology of the future, predicting its “profound” impact on humanity. “I’m incredibly excited about AR…. because I can see uses for it everywhere,” he said, reeling of a list of applications that included education, sports and entertainment. “I can see it in every [...]
Jobs tsar Matthew Taylor warns MPs minimum wage rules would end gig economy work for Uber, Deliveroo and other on-demand platforms October 11, 2017 The government’s jobs and employment tsar has warned MPs that handing Uber drivers and Deliveroo riders minimum wage guarantees would bring the gig economy to an end. Matthew Taylor, the man behind an independent review into modern working practices, told a parliamentary committee today that the type of flexible work found in the gig economy [...]
Uber talks with Transport for London over licence called “constructive “ October 3, 2017 London’s transport regulator has hailed talks with Uber over its licence to operate in the capital as “constructive”. Transport for London’s top boss Mike Brown today met with the top boss of the ride-hailing startup Dara Khosrowshahi who flew in from San Francisco for crunch talks. Further meetings are expected to take place, though are [...]
Uber’s top boss in northern Europe Jo Bertram exits amid London licence trouble October 2, 2017 Jo Bertram, Uber’s top boss in northern Europe, is leaving the beleaguered company for a new, but not yet disclosed, role at another company as the ride-hailing app fights for its licence to operate in London, . Bertram has overseen Uber’s operations in London, the UK and across the rest of Europe since 2013. The [...]
As Uber’s new boss Dara Khosrowshahi jets to London for licence talks with TfL, he faces a board battle with Travis Kalanick too October 1, 2017 Uber’s newly installed boss Dara Khosrowshahi is facing fresh trouble on home turf as he prepares to jet to London for crunch talks over its licence to operate in the capital. Having taken the driving seat at the top tech firm just weeks ago, Khosrowshahi is already facing multiple battles in a hangover from his [...]