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Lyft/Uber have 3 assets that I can see: 1. Driver network. This will go away with self-driving cars. 2. Rider network. This might take some time for Google et

Lyft/Uber have 3 assets that I can see: 1. Driver network. This will go away with self-driving cars. 2. Rider network. This might take some time for Google etc. to acquire, but probably not nearly as long since they'll have a one-sided market (while Lyft/Uber had to deal with a two-sided one.) This might sell for a pittance relative to their current market cap. 3. Routing technology. Lyft & Uber have gotten much, much better at routing than they were just a few years ago – especially when it comes to multiperson rides. I could see this being pretty valuable, there's no need for Waymo to spend years duplicating the same thing when they could just buy it.

danmaz74 8y ago
Google already has great routing technology, much better than Uber's according to their own drivers.
- ashishb 8y ago
  And don't forget Google maps. They can just add a button on ride sharing tab in Google maps in cities where Waymo is launched (whenever it launches)
- lizhang 8y ago
  So often I sit down in an uber and the driver instantly switches to Waze.
clairity 8y ago
> "Lyft & Uber have gotten much, much better at routing..." i had to chuckle at that. i've had multiple experiences where my driver had to loop hack toward my origin to pick up someone else, literally passing my pickup point in some cases. other times drivers were expected to swerve off of a freeway with seconds' notice to pick someone else up. i think they have some ways to go in that regard. sure, they have a lead on an unprepared/undercapitalized competitor, but i'm not sure they'd have a lead on google (who also owns waze).
- linkregister 8y ago
  Lyft's and most of Uber's maps for routing are driven by the Google Maps API. Google's track record for consumer-facing services is abysmal. Acquiring Lyft is a deft business move for Google's Waymo unit. At the very least, a partnership agreement is in order.
kumarharsh 8y ago
Yesterday, I booked a cab to go home, and rather than taking a right turn from the main highway to my home which was around 2.5km away, and there was no traffic (it was 1 AM), Google Maps recommended a route which essentially took an inward spiral route to my home (crossing one other highway, two main roads). And then charged me double the amount. I disputed the charge, and they instantaneously refunded the extra charge (wtf? Why charge in the first place?)
thisisit 8y ago
As I go through your list, only routing seems to be in favor of Lyft? If that is the case then the question is whether the routing technology alone will be worth billions of dollars ie Lyft's eventual valuation.

danmaz74 8y ago

Google already has great routing technology, much better than Uber's according to their own drivers.

ashishb 8y ago
And don't forget Google maps. They can just add a button on ride sharing tab in Google maps in cities where Waymo is launched (whenever it launches)
lizhang 8y ago
So often I sit down in an uber and the driver instantly switches to Waze.

clairity 8y ago

> "Lyft & Uber have gotten much, much better at routing..." i had to chuckle at that. i've had multiple experiences where my driver had to loop hack toward my origin to pick up someone else, literally passing my pickup point in some cases. other times drivers were expected to swerve off of a freeway with seconds' notice to pick someone else up. i think they have some ways to go in that regard. sure, they have a lead on an unprepared/undercapitalized competitor, but i'm not sure they'd have a lead on google (who also owns waze).

linkregister 8y ago
Lyft's and most of Uber's maps for routing are driven by the Google Maps API. Google's track record for consumer-facing services is abysmal. Acquiring Lyft is a deft business move for Google's Waymo unit. At the very least, a partnership agreement is in order.

kumarharsh 8y ago

Yesterday, I booked a cab to go home, and rather than taking a right turn from the main highway to my home which was around 2.5km away, and there was no traffic (it was 1 AM), Google Maps recommended a route which essentially took an inward spiral route to my home (crossing one other highway, two main roads). And then charged me double the amount. I disputed the charge, and they instantaneously refunded the extra charge (wtf? Why charge in the first place?)

thisisit 8y ago

As I go through your list, only routing seems to be in favor of Lyft? If that is the case then the question is whether the routing technology alone will be worth billions of dollars ie Lyft's eventual valuation.