It’s not just taxis—Uber wants to take over all of city travel
The ride-hailer has decided to branch out into public transit, car rental, and biking.
The news: Uber announced Wednesday that it will test a car rental service in San Francisco, as well as a new way for users to pay for public transit rides through its app. “We’re going beyond cars. We are about mobility—making mobility available to everyone, everywhere,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said at a public appearance Wednesday, according to Reuters.
Peddling pedals: Earlier this week the firm also revealed that it had acquired the dockless-bike firm Jump.
Wheels on demand: The new moves are a pretty clear signal that Uber wants to make car ownership a thing of the past, and have its app be a one-stop-shop alternative. But just in case you had any doubt in your mind, here’s the man himself, Khosrowshahi, again on Wednesday: “We have to work together to make sure that living in a city... doesn’t require you to own a car.”
What about driverless cars? Khosrowshahi says he and his team “believe in” them. But for now, it will use just about any other means to get you around.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.
“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.
What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines
New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.
Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats
With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure
Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation
From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.