Self-Driving-Truck Startups Race to Take On Uber

     Uber Technologies Inc. has had a shortage in the amount of drivers to work governing hours.  This has caused an outrage in the company because there is a lot of money on the line. As a result, robot-trucking division, several startups are showing off their own efforts toward self-driving delivery vehicles that would reinvent the business. They strongly believe that this may be a huge turnaround for the company. The company also says that this will be a safer way to master the highways and maneuver through city streets. There have been experienced and talented drivers that can't work for Uber because of the "squeezing profit."
     As Uber wishes to make this drastic change, they want to replace the drivers in commercial "fleets" as well. However, it was hard with Google's level of competition. Uber is a company that is in need of drivers and because of this new path of creating self-driving- truck startups, Google intervened only a week ago. The founder of the self-driving-car (Anthony Levandowsky) created the Waymo at Alphabet. The only issue that Levandowsky had was that Uber was taking credit for his ideas. Levandowsky was the founder of a self-driving-semi-truck known as the Otto. Levandowsky filed a lawsuit, so that Uber would make sure they are reviewing their technology carefully. Uber was quick to acquire them by offering $680 million.
     This is relevant to marketing because of the notion of competitive situations that affect strategy planning. This is because the search for information to improve in a company can raise ethical issues. Research studies is also an element of a complete marketing information system. The external environment causes trends. This trend in Uber is going to create another platform for the industry.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/self-driving-truck-startups-race-to-take-on-uber-1488466802
Sheridan Hopkins