Uber has navigated its way to a $40 billion dollar valuation and driven some local taxis out of business, but all that could come to a screeching halt soon. Google is reportedly planning its own mobile app for ride sharing, that’s according to Bloomberg.
Google Maps is an integral part of Uber, so the big question for Uber is: Will Google find a way to restrict its access to Google Maps? There are of course other mapping services out there — Nokia’s HERE service could be a good alternative — but losing Google Maps would be huge blow to Uber.
The story is further complicated by the fact that Uber has been partnered with Google Ventures, that’s Google’s venture capital arm, was one of Uber’s early backers and has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the company.
So why wouldn’t Google just buy Uber instead of launching its own service? Google may want to build from the ground up because it may take a very different approach to car services by eventually losing the driver and sending driverless cars to pick up passengers.