Thursday, November 27, 2014

The Uber taxi app is just an app

In Uber: What could possibly go wrong , Rick Bookstaber claims that the app is "only mildly innovative" and that if existing limo and taxi companies put out a "meta-app" the new company might be in trouble.  Other risks for the $18billion start-up include increased regulation, and new technology that will remove the need for drivers altogether. 
This is Uber: Get a taxi, private car or rideshare from your mobile phone. Uber connects you with a driver in minutes. Use the app in cities around the world. 
The use of 'non-Uber' taxi mobile-apps has already taken off in Nigeria. 

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1 comment:

  1. tSeptember 06, 2016 9:10 AM

    Uber is currently dominating the app-based taxi space in Nigeria, although that story is still developing. In fact, with a recession underway, taxis and luxuries are not topmost on the minds of Nigerians. It's really bad, the recession.

    Internationally, Uber is already dealing with some of the risks outlined by Bookstaber. Driverless cars seem to be part of the plan, i.e. not only get taxidriver unions out of business but also eventually drive Uber drivers out of business. See Uber...replacing humans report on vice.com

    It's not altogether a bad thing if we recognize that robots are here to stay and we just need a labour system that has adjusted to the reduced need for labour (for example with a reduced workweek or a shortened workday or guaranteed basics without work employment). Government Regulation may thus embrace the lowered driver movement and permit a transport bot such as Uber may evolve to be.

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