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Comment by jbhatab | Hacker News Reader

"However, they still do not get the kind of data Google can get from their Maps and Waze (It's interesting to note that Lyft and Waze partnered) to enable their AI researchers."

Google is invested in uber, why would they not supply them the data they needed?

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Uber is afraid of Google. That's why the maps in Uber's driver app can't plan a route according to traffic, they don't use google maps.

Uber is already integrated into Google Maps from the consumer side.

From the VC side, Google Ventures invested ~$250M in Uber a few years ago.

How is it they're afraid of Google?

Because Google routinely undermines their partners through internal productizing (see e.g. Flintstone/OnHub), and Google has a large self-driving car program. There's a clear path from there to a Google(/Alphabet)-owned ride provider regardless of investment in Uber.

Uber is building out their own map system so that they are no longer dependent upon a third party. It's already in production on a limited basis.

Isn't Google Ventures pretty isolated from Google?

Uber bought Bing Maps for $1.

This just isn't true in any way. Uber once upon a time was a bidder on Here Maps, which provided most of Bing's mapping data, but they lost to a consortium of German car makers (BMW, Daimler, Audi): http://www.wsj.com/articles/bmw-daimler-audi-agree-to-buy-no...

They acquired part of Bing's Mapping Assets alongside ~100 employees - http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/29/uber-acquires-part-of-bings... and http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB110643412133885342696045810783...

you mean $1B surely?

No. I can't name a source though. Basically Microsoft was hemmoraghing money on this unit and Uber took a chunk of staff, the tech, AND the operating expenses.

$1 doesn't make any sense. Perhaps you're leaving out some form of equity swap. Bankrupt companies get purchased all the time for millions of dollars and I can't imagine Microsoft's business team would allow such a shitty deal.

Bankrupt companies also routinely get purchased for $1, with the old owners just glad to get rid of outstanding liabilities.

It only makes sense if the unit was hemorrhaging money and had near iron clad contracts/termination penalties.

Google has the map data. Google are working on autonomous vehicles. When they get the latter, what is the need for Uber? The $250M would be an irrelevant sunk cost at that point.

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