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This is the most absurd comment of this thread, hand waving away every major problem or scandal Uber has had even in just the last year. Uber self-driving cars

This is the most absurd comment of this thread, hand waving away every major problem or scandal Uber has had even in just the last year. Uber self-driving cars blew 6 red lights in their 1 week San Francisco autonomous testing run, and lied to everyone saying it was not the technology's fault - it was, thanks to documents sent to NYT. They are on track to lose 3 billion this year. 3 billion. Their self driving golden parachute/ bail-out plan has been a disaster so far, in terms of the clearly not-ready technology and Google's lawsuit. Even ignoring the deep flaws of their executives - bragging about threatening journalists, instituting a culture of sexism and abuse, berating their own Uber drivers - your response is still "Everyone is wrong, everything is amazing at Uber, and I won't even offer any details why." Thanks for this wonderful contribution to HN.

sebastos 10y ago
Your whole comment is a perfect demonstration of what I'm saying. My point is not that Uber has no problems, but rather that people are blowing things out of proportion because they've taken an emotional dislike for the company. So people see what they want to see. For instance, you see 3 billion in losses. In 2015 Q4, Uber generated $560M in net revenue. In 2016 Q1, $960M. Q2: $1100M. Q3: $1320M, and Q4: $1584M. I see massive growth, and massive expenditures into R&D which could be halted with relative ease if solvency becomes a problem. You see the self-driving program as a boondoggle, and you see 6 blown red lights in 1 week as just a taste of nonfunctional technology that would have only caused more and more damage the more time it was allowed to be on the road. I see people trying to solve a difficult technical problem, and having some issues in an initial run-up test. You see a company whose executives routinely berate their own Uber drivers. I see one dashcam video where the CEO has a human debate with one of his drivers, which has been extrapolated into a portrait of "the type of person this Kalanick guy really is". I'm _not_ saying that they don't have their problems, or that it's impossible Uber is going to run into financial or regulatory trouble. But this sky-is-falling talk is not for me.
- ThomPete 10y ago
  I am pretty concerned about the pricing and subsidizing of said prizing. Its unsustainable for the drivers and uber in the long run.
  - searealist 10y ago
    How is $1584M net revenue in Q4 subsidizing rides?
    - cmahler7 10y ago
      because Uber subsidizes 59% of the cost for passengers with VC money. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2016/12/02/uber-losses.html http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2016/12/02/uber...
      - searealist 10y ago
        Net revenue is what Uber makes after paying the drivers. IOW, any losses Uber has accrued in that quarter is based upon costs outside of the rides themselves.
        ThomPete 10y ago
        You are missing the point. The subsidizing is the problem. If there is no subsidizing that cost have to be paid by the passengers which makes it a much more expensive service.
- ricardobeat 10y ago
  Do you have a source for "massive R&D spending which could be halted"? I was under the impression their losses come from massive operating/marketing expenses, which cannot be cut without harming the business.

sebastos 10y ago

Your whole comment is a perfect demonstration of what I'm saying. My point is not that Uber has no problems, but rather that people are blowing things out of proportion because they've taken an emotional dislike for the company. So people see what they want to see. For instance, you see 3 billion in losses. In 2015 Q4, Uber generated $560M in net revenue. In 2016 Q1, $960M. Q2: $1100M. Q3: $1320M, and Q4: $1584M. I see massive growth, and massive expenditures into R&D which could be halted with relative ease if solvency becomes a problem. You see the self-driving program as a boondoggle, and you see 6 blown red lights in 1 week as just a taste of nonfunctional technology that would have only caused more and more damage the more time it was allowed to be on the road. I see people trying to solve a difficult technical problem, and having some issues in an initial run-up test. You see a company whose executives routinely berate their own Uber drivers. I see one dashcam video where the CEO has a human debate with one of his drivers, which has been extrapolated into a portrait of "the type of person this Kalanick guy really is". I'm _not_ saying that they don't have their problems, or that it's impossible Uber is going to run into financial or regulatory trouble. But this sky-is-falling talk is not for me.

ThomPete 10y ago
I am pretty concerned about the pricing and subsidizing of said prizing. Its unsustainable for the drivers and uber in the long run.
- searealist 10y ago
  How is $1584M net revenue in Q4 subsidizing rides?
  - cmahler7 10y ago
    because Uber subsidizes 59% of the cost for passengers with VC money. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2016/12/02/uber-losses.html http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2016/12/02/uber...
    - searealist 10y ago
      Net revenue is what Uber makes after paying the drivers. IOW, any losses Uber has accrued in that quarter is based upon costs outside of the rides themselves.
      - ThomPete 10y ago
        You are missing the point. The subsidizing is the problem. If there is no subsidizing that cost have to be paid by the passengers which makes it a much more expensive service.
ricardobeat 10y ago
Do you have a source for "massive R&D spending which could be halted"? I was under the impression their losses come from massive operating/marketing expenses, which cannot be cut without harming the business.