Uber has agreed to expand in UK with buy its biggest rival Autocab, which functions a ride-booking app for independent taxicab companies throughout the country.
“The takeover would let it connect people with mini-cab firms in cities where Uber itself does not have drivers,” it said.
Autocab’s services have access to over 75,000 vehicles in areas where Uber does not run.
In the UK, Uber is currently limited in 40 towns and cities.
Autocab which is Uber’s biggest rival in UK initially started out as a radio supply business. It later developed a cloud-based booking platform named iGo that let taxi firms offer online bookings.
In present, the platform is used by about half of the private hire and taxi market in the UK.
Following the deal, Uber assumes to be available in about 170 towns and cities. Which includes Oxford and Doncaster, where Uber says “tens of thousands” of people try to use its app every month?
With this acquirement, In a UK town where there are no Uber drivers, now, passengers using the Uber app will be able to seamlessly book a private hire car.
The company said in a blog post “Through Autocab’s iGo marketplace, Uber will be able to connect these riders with local operators who choose to take their booking,”.
“In turn, operators should be able to expand their operations and offer more earnings opportunities to local drivers.”
