"Funkmietwagen" (rental cars with a driver you that picks you up and drops you off and can be hired instantly by phone) are actually very common in most parts o

"Funkmietwagen" (rental cars with a driver you that picks you up and drops you off and can be hired instantly by phone) are actually very common in most parts of Germany I've been to. Many businesses offer you to call one instead if you ask them to call you a taxi (though I think they have to explicitly tell you it's a Funkmietwagen rather than a taxi). That said, Uber isn't really solving a problem here. There are already call-a-taxi apps (though they don't seem to have been very successful) and the only value add Uber provides is that it encourages an entirely illegal business model (i.e. transporting persons without the required qualifications, no insurance coverage, no guarantees and no reliable pricing). Sure, UberBlack may be a nice idea if an ordinary taxi is beneath you or socially inappropriate, but other than that Uber simply doesn't offer anything new. Note that Germany and the EU in general have very strong customer protection laws. The health, safety and protection of the passenger is an actual concern in the local market. Uber (and similar "disruptive" services) gain most of their appeal from entirely disregarding that. It doesn't matter how appealing your business idea is if it doesn't work within the restrictions of consumer protection.