The Fiercest Rivalry In Tech: Uber vs. Lyft

onehitwonder (1118559) writes WSJ looks at the cantankerous rivalry between two popular ride-sharing companies, Uber and Lyft, and the dirty tactics each employs to weaken its opponent. Lyft, for example, alleges that representatives from Uber frequently order short rides from Lyft just to slow down Lyft's service and to try to poach its drivers. WSJ points out that the rivalry is more than just a made-for-TV competition: "It's a battle for a key role in the future of urban transportation." Lyft certainly isn't Uber's only rival, though, even setting aside conventional taxis and car services, even those two names are big in U.S. cities: its clash with Gett has reportedly involved tricks at least as dirty. Another way to look at the rivalry, too, is that the biggest clash is not between Uber and any other particular company, but rather between the various ride-calling / ride-sharing services taken together against the existing, regulated taxi and car-service companies they threaten.

Comments

Re:good

[gstoddart]

In a normal free market environment I would simply say let the market sort them out

There are not 'normal free markets', they simply don't exist.

Sooner or later they devolve into this, or people selling outright fradulent/dangerous products, or they form cartels to screw over the consumer.

Left to its own devices, a free market becomes anything but. It's a complete myth that it will arrive at perfect outcomes, and it always has been.

Adam Smith knew this when he wrote Wealth of Nations.

Re:Dirty tactics

[Richard_at_work]

Any action which directly interferes with your competitions business, done with that sole intention. So booking lifts and not taking them up, or booking lots of short trips which put competitors drivers out of position or otherwise unlikely to be able to pick up the more lucrative jobs (ie, have an employee travel to the middle of an industrial estate right when a major train or bus arrives, so your drivers get the more lucrative jobs).

The link is very interesting, and if true it shows a concerted effort to disrupt Ubers competitors through anti-competitive behaviour.