Google is hopping in the driver’s seat in a direct race against Uber and Lyft with a carpool idea.
Very quietly, Google and Alphabet have launched the Waze ridesharing service in the San Francisco radius, proving that the company is interested in this money-making ridesharing economy.
Users can download the Waze Rider app and request rides using Google’s popular Waze navigation app. Test runs started in May for workers at certain employers in the area. Since it’s been popular, Google is expanding on this app.
While Uber and Lyft are basically swapouts for taxis, Google said it intends to have the Waze app match drivers and riders already looking to move in the same direction. Also, right now, the app limits to two rides a day for both rider and driver parties, as a mechanism of getting to and from work.
There have been some bugs in the system, according to The Wall Street Journal. Locating the driver and rider took a few tries. However, the prices so far seem to be lower than the competition.
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