Uber snaps up UK taxi tech firm Autocab
Uber has acquired taxi tech firm Autocab, in a move that will allow it to operate in areas it has yet to launch in.
The Stockport-based company sells booking and dispatch software to private hire firms, and will allow Uber to link people who open its app in locations where it does not run with other providers.
Uber said the taxi technology will be launched in the UK at first, before expanding the service to other countries. Autocab currently has operations in 20 countries.
“Autocab has worked successfully with taxi and private hire operators around the world for more than 30 years and Uber has a lot to learn from their experience,” said Uber’s northern and eastern European boss Jamie Heywood.
Uber added it will also look into other ways to boost revenues linked to its platform for services, such as delivery.
The size of the acquisition and terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Uber revealed the top cities it thinks will benefit from the taxi deal, including Oxford, Tunbridge Wells, Colchester and Ipswich.
Autocab is set to remain independent from Uber with its own board, and will continue to develop its software for use by other taxi and private hire companies.
Autocab chief Safa Alkatab said: “Working with Uber we can scale up our ambitions, providing hundreds of thousands of additional trips for our customers, and help cement the place of licensed operators in their local community.”