[macspoofing]

I don't think ride-sharing companies and taxi companies are in the same market (kinda like cars and horse-drawn carriages aren't in the same market, even though the former killed the latter). Uber's losses don't stem from them trying to kill taxis, but rather from rapid expansion and intense competition from other ride-sharing services.

[luka-birsa]

I'd say that Uber is more a taxi company than a car sharing company as people buy dedicated cars to provide service and earn a living. I'd go as far as to say it's a first trully global Taxi company with a very good app and payment implementation.

The whole car sharing is marketing bull, so that they can justify dodging regulation and dumping prices.

[stillworks]

In my mind there isn't a clear view as to what Uber are.

A driver does not make money if his Taxi is not running or it's running idle.

What Uber are currently doing is at least trying to minimize idle times.

Also, Uber win ultimately if all Taxi drivers in all the countries only affiliate with Uber (if Uber are so good at reducing their idle time)

But then, there is the aspect of self driving taxis. In that case Uber will win if Uber are the only operator and no competition is EVER allowed... which seems to be very difficult in the longer run. Mass-transit solutions will be more efficient than transporting only a single individual or maybe 3 or 4 at the same time ? So Uber may be the cost-effective somewhat luxury transit providers ?

[luka-birsa]

I'd also add that the proof is in the whole "let's create autonomous cars and drive people around without drivers", where it's kinda obvious that it can't be a sharing economy if they provide the car and the driver is not needed.