Uber has announced the acquisition of deCarta, a mapping software business that was founded back in 1996.
It could signal Uber’s first step toward distancing itself from Google and Apple’s mapping services, which it currently relies on. Aftrer all those services at aimed at commuter marker not service client like Uber.
At a Ford trends conference, UPS said they have at least 40 programmers working on routing for maps and Google maps or other consumer mapping services did not have the detail or accuracy they need to get package out fast and to save on fuel.
A Uber spokesperson said, “A lot of the functionality that makes the Uber app so reliable, affordable and seamless is based on mapping technologies. With the acquisition of deCarta, we will continue to fine-tune our products and services that rely on maps—for example UberPOOL, the way we compute ETAs, and others—and make the Uber experience even better for our users.”
