UBER RESPONDSTO QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THEIR AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE AUTOCAB
WHY CAN’T UBER PARTNER WITH IGO INSTEAD OF BUYING IT?
This acquisition goes much further than just joining the iGo marketplace. We want to supercharge Autocab’s mission to pro- vide world-class technology to the taxi and private hire industry across the world. This acquisition will enable Uber and Autocab to share our deep technological expertise and scale Autocab’s busi- ness in the UK and internationally. We’re excited to invest in Autocab’s software and are fully committed to making the acqui- sition worthwhile for all of Autocab’s current customers as well as potential new customers.
Uber’s mission is to enable people to go wherever they want to go, in the way that works best for them - whether that’s public transport, electric bicycles or by connecting riders to local taxi and private hire operators. Taxi on Uber is a growing and impor- tant part of our platform. Taxi is now live on Uber in 22 countries worldwide, including Chile and Japan. It is one of the fastest- growing businesses at Uber, having grown four times in size since the start of 2019. At Uber, we strongly believe that we can use our reach and technology to bring a seamless experience for riders, whilst at the same time providing better earnings opportunities for drivers and operators.
COULD UBER GO AFTER AN OPERATOR’S OWN DATA?
No. Uber will put in place what is required to protect Autocab’s customers’ data, to ensure that it is not misused and is always managed under all applicable laws and the terms of their con- tracts with Autocab.
HOW CAN UBER COMPETE AGAINST AUTOCAB’S OPERATORS IN SOME CITIES BUT PARTNER WITH THEM IN OTHERS?
There is no reason why companies cannot responsibly compete and also partner with each other. And while we will continue to compete with Autocab’s operator customers, we also believe that we can offer these operators additional demand and earning opportunities.
Uber’s participation in the iGo marketplace will allow us to gener- ate additional demand for Autocab’s operator customers across the UK. In practice, this means that Autocab’s operator customers will be able to maintain their businesses as they do today, but they will also be able to access trips from riders using the Uber app if they choose to do so.
This will not only make life better for riders who will get access to a wider, more reliable and efficient supply of trips, but will also benefit local drivers and operators who will be able to grow fur- ther, earning more from additional trips provided to them by riders using the Uber app.
We will also explore providing drivers with additional revenue opportunities related to our platform for other services, such as delivery.
COULD UBER USE AUTOCAB’S NETWORK AS A “TROJAN HORSE” TO LAUNCH ITS OWN OPERATIONS IN EACH TOWN OR CITY?
Every month in the UK, hundreds of thousands of riders open the Uber app but are unable to access a trip in cities where Uber
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currently is not available. Despite this demand, we have not launched in a new town or city in the UK since 2017. We believe that this demand can be filled by Autocab’s operator customers across the UK, bringing these operators additional trips and earn- ing opportunities.
Uber’s mission is to enable people to go wherever they want to go, in the way that works best for them - including public trans- port, electric bicycles and Uber Boat in London. Our plans to participate in the iGo marketplace are part of that - it will allow us to connect riders directly to local taxi and PHV operators, thereby allowing us to extend the Uber app to 170 new towns and cities across the UK, by partnering with taxi and PHV oper- ators who currently use Autocab’s software to support their business.
WHAT COULD UBER DO IN PLACES WHERE EITHER AUTOCAB HAS NO OPERATOR CLIENTS, OR AT LEAST OPERATORS WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN UBER JOBS AS PART OF IGO?
We are fully supportive of Autocab’s mission to provide world- class technology to its taxi and private hire customers to help them grow and be successful - regardless of whether or not Auto- cab operators choose to partner with Uber in the iGo marketplace. We are committed to competing fairly and in accor- dance with the law.
HOW CAN AUTOCAB BE TRULY INDEPENDENT FROM UBER?
It is our plan to keep Autocab as an independent entity managed through a board of directors focused exclusively on providing technology to the taxi and private hire industry around the world. This means the same Autocab executive team which exists today will be complemented and supported by Uber’s world-class expertise.
Safa Alkatab, CEO of Autocab, said:
“Autocab has been working with local operators across the world to provide the technolo- gy to make them more efficient and open up a mar- ketplace to provide more trips. Working with Uber we can scale up our ambitions, providing hundreds of thou- sands of additional trips for our customers, and help cement the place of licenced operators in their local com- munity.”
Jamie Heywood, Regional General Manager, Northern & Eastern Europe, Uber, said:
“Autocab has worked successfully with taxi and private hire operators worldwide for more than thirty years and Uber has a lot to learn from their experience.
“We look forward to working with the Autocab team to help local operators grow and provide drivers with genuine earnings opportunities.”
SEPTEMBER 2020
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