Rarely does a startup enter the collective consciousness as rapidly as Uber. In 2010, it was humbly introduced to the world as UberCab, which sounded a lot like just another app. “UberCab Takes The Hassle Out Of Booking A Car Service,” wrote TechCrunch.
Just a few years later, Uber is now a common verb. It’s a major employer. It’s raised over $10 billion in venture capital. It’s upended the taxi industry. It’s facing off against Google in the race to develop a self-driving car. It’s launched a thousand trend stories, changing the way we date, the way we work, the way we sell drugs, and the way we think about distance.
At Motherboard, we’re devoting our May theme week to Uber. How has this company changed the planet, and how will it continue to do so in the future? How has it changed our culture? How much of their disposable income do people spend on Uber? We know Uber has had an impact in major cities around the world, but can it make it in the heartland?
We’ll be tackling these questions and more this week. Follow along here, and share your thoughts with letters@motherboard.tv.
And the first few posts at the link page: