[BinaryIdiot]

> They are aware of this, the goal is to have a large market share when self driving cars make their business model profitable.

That can't be their goal. Personally I think their goal is to get bought out at a very high price by some sort of car company / conglomerate. If car companies can make their own cars that are also self driving, why wouldn't they just toss up some software and go direct to consumers with them and cut out Uber entirely? Uber has a lead on the software and infrastructure for mapping but they're really pretty awful (I'd argue Apple Maps has surpassed much of what Uber does with mapping and routing at this point).

A car company with self driving cars is going to be able to provider a lower cost per ride while still profiting than Uber ever could unless they start producing their own vehicles.

> that in no way makes Uber a Ponzi scheme.

The parent stated "Isn't Uber like a Ponzi scheme in some way?" and then explained the rationale behind the thought. I think you took some words out of the parent's question when understanding what he or she was asking.

Uber subsidizes car rides using investor money to bring in more users which can make their valuation higher which can then bring in more investor money. Rinse repeat. It's not a ponzi scheme but it certainly has some traits of one and I think parent's question was fair.