People in Sydney still remember when Uber's surge pricing kicked in during a terrorist hostage crisis back in 2014. The same thing happened during terrorist attacks in London and New York, it's an automatic response by the algos to the increase in demand when folks are trying to flee and of course Uber refunded the extra charge but for some reason the Australia event stood out.
Anyhoo, lifted in toto from the marketing mavens at The Drum:
Ola drives its first international expansion in Australia to combat Uber
Indian cab hailing service Ola has stepped up its competition with global rivals, such as Uber, as it announces its first international expansion into the Australian market.Related:
As reported by TechCrunch, Ola’s initial plan is to launch private hire vehicles in Australia. Meanwhile, China's Didi Chuxing also expanded internationally this year into Brazil and Taiwan.
Ola co-founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal said: “We are very excited about launching Ola in Australia and see immense potential for the ride-sharing ecosystem which embraces new technology and innovation.
With a strong focus on driver-partners and the community at large, we aim to create a high-quality and affordable travel experience for citizens and look forward to contributing to a healthy mobility ecosystem in Australia."
SoftBank which has stakes in Ola, also acquired a $9bn stake in Uber recently
"Ola is stocking up its war chest in India while Uber struggles with its worst nightmare"
Didi Chuxing buys control of 99, Brazil’s leading ride-hail app
You Understand Why Mr. Son and SoftBank Are Circling Uber, Right?
"SoftBank Emerges as the Lead Financier for Uber Rivals"
Also at The Drum:
Starbucks’ Rewards scheme is part of its much bigger vision for a blockchain-backed digital currency
