Google through the Google Ventures, has become one of the largest investors in the application of Uber, when in 2013 came with 258 million dollars in Travis Kalanick company. However, this week there are rumours that the two companies are likely to compete in driverless cars market. Google develops this technology since 2010 and Uber said this week that it plans to invest in the area. Similar car sharing services could thicken competition.
The company, established in 2009 has become worldwidely popular at a considerable speed and its application is considered one of the most successful of recent times - an assessment made at the end of 2014 indicated that Uber has a market value above 32 billion euros.
But the success of this app, which provides a service similar to a Taxi company, has suffered a number of legal obstacles in some of the 250 cities where it operates. The company has been accused of unfair competition, violation of transport rules and that drivers do not give security guarantees to the users.
But perhaps the biggest obstacle to the Uber has arisen now. David Drummond, the responsible for Google legal department - that also integrates the board of Uber since 2013 - may be prepared to launch a similar service to Uber, chaired by Travis Kalanick.
Bloomberg Business advanced this week that Google is preparing a "ride-sharing" service, "most likely together with its long project driverless car development." According to the website, it has been David Drummond himself to inform Uber about this possibility, having been shown to some people inside the company images of what will be Google's mobile application for the car sharing service and it is, allegedly being tested by employees of the Californian company.
On Monday, Uber announced a strategic partnership with Carnegie Mellon University to create the Uber Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh, United States, which will focus on the development of "mapping and vehicle safety and autonomy technology". The aim is to create a fleet of autonomous taxis, according to TechCrunch.
To the requests for comment from Bloomberg Business News, Google has responded with a tweet. "We believe that you will verify that Uber and Lyft work very well. We use them all the time". Lyft is another car sharing application, a competitor of Uber.
In an interview in December to the Wall Street Journal, the Director of Google's self-driving car project, Chris Urmson, indicated that the company is not interested in making their own cars but in trying to find a partner with contacts within the car manufacturing industry in order to market a car with the company's brand within five years.
