Uber to redirect focus to bikes and electric scooters

Uber intends to focus more on its electric scooter and bike business as it says individual modes of transport are better-suited to inner city travel. Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s CEO, believes users will make more frequent, shorter journeys in the future, the Financial Times reports. "During rush hour, it is very inefficient for a one-tonne hulk of metal to take one person ten blocks,” he says. Uber’s Jump electric bikes are now available in eight US cities such as San Francisco and Washington DC, and are
August 28, 2018 Read time: 2 mins

8336 Uber intends to focus more on its electric scooter and bike business as it says individual modes of transport are better-suited to inner city travel.

Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s CEO, believes users will make more frequent, shorter journeys in the future, the %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external Financial Times Financial Times website link false https://www.ft.com/content/986d878a-a7c4-11e8-8ecf-a7ae1beff35b false false%> reports.

"During rush hour, it is very inefficient for a one-tonne hulk of metal to take one person ten blocks,” he says.

Uber’s Jump electric bikes are now available in eight US cities such as San Francisco and Washington DC, and are set to launch in Berlin.

The ride-sharing company has also joined forces with electric scooter company Lime.

Khosrowshahi recognises that Uber makes more money from a car journey than a bike trip - but says this would be offset as users engage with the app more regularly for shorter journeys.
"We are willing to trade off short-term per-unit economics for long-term higher engagement."

The move comes as Uber announced it was to supply its proprietary self-driving system to %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external Toyota Sienna Minivans Uber website link false https://www.uber.com/newsroom/uber-toyota-team-self-driving-cars/ false false%>. “Rather than owning and operating the fleet of self-driving vehicles, these minivans will be owned and operated by an agreed upon third party, a new business model for Uber,” the company said in a statement.

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Third European Motorcyclists' Forum
    February 17, 2014
    The third European Motorcyclists' Forum, taking place in Brussels on 5 and 6 March 2014 features discussions on the essential road safety issues affecting motorcyclists, as vulnerable road users. Leading safety and ITS experts will join a panel discussion, ‘Setting the Scene’ on 5 March, moderated by Bernd Lange, Member of the European Parliament (S&D) and co-chair of the Forum for Automobile and Society. Discussions continue on 6 March and include: Motorcycling and ITS, a US perspective - Shane McLaugh
    Read More
  • Tamron camera unit packages transport solutions
    March 21, 2018
    What is said to be the first 30x zoom camera module with a global shutter sensor is being displayed on Tamron Europe’s stand. Global shutters remove (or minimise) the blur associated with rolling shutters capturing fast-moving objects such as vehicles (as also illustrated on Tamron’s stand). Designated the MP2030M-GS, the module uses a 32mm (1.125inch) 3.2 megapixel Sony global shutter sensor with a digital (LVDS) output or a composite output in the CVBS format. The remotely activated zoom lens ranges in
    Read More
  • TAS & KFI /GLOBALCOM Showcase New M-POS Solution at CARTES 2013
    November 20, 2013
    Global card and mobile payments leader TAS Group have revealed a new EMV chip-based mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) solution that allows merchants to securely and quickly take payments “on the go” at CARTES 2013, a solution made possible through a strategic partnership between TAS Group and KFI / Globalcom. TAS Group says its M-POS solution “offers convenience in conjunction with the highest security thanks in large part to the EMV chip and pin technology, which is at the heart of the security system. It is qu
    Read More
  • Cohda Wireless to trial AVs which can talk to each other in Australia
    October 15, 2018
    Cohda Wireless is to trial two autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Australia this month. The MKZ Sedans can communicate with traffic lights and each other – and the company also expects them to be able to detect pedestrians around blind corners. The initiative, approved by the South Australian government, will take place in Adelaide’s central business district on closed-off roads. Dr Paul Gray, chief executive officer of Cohda Wireless, told ABC that the technology is intended to reduce the chance of huma
    Read More

Highlighted Content