Search giant Google has posted a curt tweet that looks apparently aimed at halting the rumours that the search engine company is gearing up to offer a ride-sharing service, giving rival Uber a tough fight.
“We think you’ll find Uber and Lyft work quite well. We use them all the time,” read a post at the official @google Twitter account.
The Internet titan reportedly said that it is working on development of its own car-hailing service, most probably in connection with its efforts on self-driving cars.
The report about the California company came the same day when Uber announced its partnership agreement with the Carnegie Mellon University for a collaborative research centre devoted for studying and developing innovations, mapping, car safety, and the advanced technology of autonomous vehicles.
In a press release, Uber chief product officer Jeff Holden said, “As a global leader in urban transportation, we have the unique opportunity for investing in the leading edge technologies for enabling the safe and efficient movement of people and things at giant scale. This collaboration and the creation of the Uber Advanced Technologies Center represent an important investment in building for the long term of Uber.”
Google was Uber’s early backer, investing in the contentious ride-sharing service via its venture capital arm. The software of Google Maps integrated into Uber’s smartphone application will offer the users to check the progress of drivers during the journey.
San Francisco-based Uber has transformed into one of the largest startups of the world with operations in over 200 cities in 54 countries worldwide. The company is valued at nearly USD 40 billion.
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