With Google looking to get into the ride-sharing business and Uber researching autonomous vehicle technology, this encroachment onto each other’s territory has damaged to relationship between the two, which is actually quite surprising considering how Google invested hundreds of millions into the company a little over a year ago and led many to suspect that Google may acquire Uber sometime in the future. However, that seems impossible now… or does it?
Google CEO Larry Page likes to talk about taking “big bets” into new areas like driverless cars and delivery services. An acquisition of Uber might be a gamble that could pay off for both companies. The companies are heading in some of the same directions. Both Uber and Google are now working on driverless car technology and transportation and delivery services. On Monday, Uber announced the creation of the “Uber Advanced Technologies Center” in Pittsburgh through a partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, which will focus on long-term technology in the areas of mapping, vehicle safety and “autonomy technology.” Were Google to acquire Uber, it might head off a possible confrontation between the companies as both push deeper into developing similar services.