This seems like a defensive play against google maps. The most likely future for Uber is to be a route option in Google maps or some other app, where the user

This seems like a defensive play against google maps. The most likely future for Uber is to be a route option in Google maps or some other app, where the user chooses the app first, and the transport method first, and Uber will just be an option with a price tag and time beside it, alongside Lyft and waymo and whatever other services are operating. Bringing other transport methods under the Uber umbrella seems like a play to keep you opening the Uber app when you want to go somewhere, rather than opening somebody else's app and selecting Uber.