Monday, June 16, 2014

Is Uber going over the speed limit?

Uber in the spotlight for the wrong reasons this week. WSJ reporting on cab drivers across Europe protesting against apps such as Uber and others which are eating away at their business, not competing on a level playing field, and should generally be illegal. Can an App mean the end of what some cities consider an element of their culture?

At the same time, the FT provide a quick commentary on current revenues compared to a recent round of fund raising. This has Uber valued at 17 times yearly revenues which may seem reasonable if Uber can continue to grow at this pace without crashing. The article points to several sources of potential danger which have been highlighted by the recent protests. If regulators or other players suddenly cause some diversions in Uber's path then they may not be able to reach their final destination.

What does the future of transport have in store? Will technology lead to increased laziness and a personalized lifestyle that will end up changing cultures and forgetting traditions? Sad to see it's already happening!

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