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I have always argued with my friends that ai cars are more likely to kill uber than help as car manufacturers would start their own taxi service if the ai they

I have always argued with my friends that ai cars are more likely to kill uber than help as car manufacturers would start their own taxi service if the ai they have is not good enough would partner with waymo to stay in the market. Uber brings no value.

netsharc 9y ago
Uber's value nowadays is that they have the infrastructure as a "connected" taxi service, and they have the users. But I guess that's not unique, Lyft has this too, and installing another taxi app or two is easy enough (or in the case of Google, they'll probably just integrate it to Google Maps -- I just realized why they've integrated Uber into Google Maps, so when they do that with Waymotaxi, no one can scream "anti-competitive move!"). Finding and vetting drivers will be the slightly harder task...
- matthewmacleod 9y ago
  I just realized why they've integrated Uber into Google Maps Google Ventures invested a large amount in Uber as well – I think they owned something like 5% last time I looked.
- amelius 9y ago
  > I just realized why they've integrated Uber into Google Maps, so when they do that with Waymotaxi, no one can scream "anti-competitive move! No, they integrated it so that Maps becomes the go-to point for users when they need a ride. That way, Google can snatch those users away when Waymo becomes available. The internet nowadays is all about being the "gatekeeper", and Google just wants to stay in that role.
  - nindalf 9y ago
    Google will do the smart thing too. When Waymotaxi becomes available, they won't remove Uber as an option because that might be anti-competitive. But more relevantly, they wouldn't need to. Back of the envelope calculations say that a self driving cab would be 1/3rd of the cost. Show both in Google maps and let the people decide.
    - bildung 9y ago
      > Back of the envelope calculations say that a self driving cab would be 1/3rd of the cost. I can hardly imagine taking the human drivers out of the equation will be that profitable. Right now, those drivers also do the labor intensive part of maintaining the fleet (gas/power, cleaning, repairs etc.). That part will stay with uber, lyft, google etc.
      - lukasm 9y ago
        When car companies will become taxis, repairs will stop being profit centres, so the incentive will be to make more durable cars. Also electric cars will become more convenient with AI Taxi. Uber drivers don't use their cars 24/7. AI Taxi can deliver good between companies in the night. There is so much room for improvement. Right now it won't be 1/3 of the cost, but in the future AI Taxi will cost as much as public transport.
        vonmoltke 9y ago
        > When car companies will become taxis, repairs will stop being profit centres, so the incentive will be to make more durable cars. I think manufacturing cost is a much stronger driver of shitty reliability than repairs being a profit center. After all, in the US dealer system the manufacturer isn't getting the profits, the dealer is. > Uber drivers don't use their cars 24/7. AI Taxi can deliver good between companies in the night. Keeping complex systems like that running constantly is difficult and expensive. It also wears said systems out faster and increases capital costs.
        amelius 9y ago
        > the manufacturer isn't getting the profits, the dealer is Pardon my ignorance, but why doesn't the manufacturer open a dealership then?
        lukasm 9y ago
        This maybe US specific. Google "tesla can't sell directly to customers"
- j_s 9y ago
  > they have the users As you pointed out, this is a very fickle (price sensitive) group. Anecdata-ly, I can point to many who prioritize Lyft based entirely on personal price comparison history.

netsharc 9y ago

Uber's value nowadays is that they have the infrastructure as a "connected" taxi service, and they have the users. But I guess that's not unique, Lyft has this too, and installing another taxi app or two is easy enough (or in the case of Google, they'll probably just integrate it to Google Maps -- I just realized why they've integrated Uber into Google Maps, so when they do that with Waymotaxi, no one can scream "anti-competitive move!"). Finding and vetting drivers will be the slightly harder task...

matthewmacleod 9y ago
I just realized why they've integrated Uber into Google Maps Google Ventures invested a large amount in Uber as well – I think they owned something like 5% last time I looked.
amelius 9y ago
> I just realized why they've integrated Uber into Google Maps, so when they do that with Waymotaxi, no one can scream "anti-competitive move! No, they integrated it so that Maps becomes the go-to point for users when they need a ride. That way, Google can snatch those users away when Waymo becomes available. The internet nowadays is all about being the "gatekeeper", and Google just wants to stay in that role.
- nindalf 9y ago
  Google will do the smart thing too. When Waymotaxi becomes available, they won't remove Uber as an option because that might be anti-competitive. But more relevantly, they wouldn't need to. Back of the envelope calculations say that a self driving cab would be 1/3rd of the cost. Show both in Google maps and let the people decide.
  - bildung 9y ago
    > Back of the envelope calculations say that a self driving cab would be 1/3rd of the cost. I can hardly imagine taking the human drivers out of the equation will be that profitable. Right now, those drivers also do the labor intensive part of maintaining the fleet (gas/power, cleaning, repairs etc.). That part will stay with uber, lyft, google etc.
    - lukasm 9y ago
      When car companies will become taxis, repairs will stop being profit centres, so the incentive will be to make more durable cars. Also electric cars will become more convenient with AI Taxi. Uber drivers don't use their cars 24/7. AI Taxi can deliver good between companies in the night. There is so much room for improvement. Right now it won't be 1/3 of the cost, but in the future AI Taxi will cost as much as public transport.
      - vonmoltke 9y ago
        > When car companies will become taxis, repairs will stop being profit centres, so the incentive will be to make more durable cars. I think manufacturing cost is a much stronger driver of shitty reliability than repairs being a profit center. After all, in the US dealer system the manufacturer isn't getting the profits, the dealer is. > Uber drivers don't use their cars 24/7. AI Taxi can deliver good between companies in the night. Keeping complex systems like that running constantly is difficult and expensive. It also wears said systems out faster and increases capital costs.
        amelius 9y ago
        > the manufacturer isn't getting the profits, the dealer is Pardon my ignorance, but why doesn't the manufacturer open a dealership then?
        lukasm 9y ago
        This maybe US specific. Google "tesla can't sell directly to customers"
j_s 9y ago
> they have the users As you pointed out, this is a very fickle (price sensitive) group. Anecdata-ly, I can point to many who prioritize Lyft based entirely on personal price comparison history.