Hailo Ride Hailing App Acquired by Daimler MyTaxi

What is the difference between ride sharing and ride hailing?

When ride hailing started, it relied heavily on the participation of drivers and riders, with little influence from the ride hailing company itself. Since then, the major automotive companies have been purchasing these ride hailing and ride sharing services and turning them into good old fashioned taxi services. In fact, Hailo even uses yellow cars, called cabbies. This is the difference between ride sharing and ride hailing.

Ride Sharing VS Ride Hailing

There is one major distinction between ride sharing services and ride hailing services. A ride sharing service connects riders with independent drivers who work on their own time. A ride hailing service is a third party that connects riders with taxi services in the area. These drivers are traditional taxi drivers and work on the clock. Ride hailing services are more common in larger cities, whereas you might find ride sharing services like Uber in all kinds of areas.

Where?

Daimler MyTaxi and Hailo services are currently only available in the United Kingdom. Because of the already saturated industry in the states, we don’t expect MyTaxi to make its way to over here, but what does this mean for the industry?

What?

As major automakers soak up every ride hailing and ride sharing service that comes to be, it means a couple things for us riders. First, getting a ride will be easier, cheaper, and faster. These are all good things in the short run, but down the line, if all the ride hailing and sharing companies are owned by monopolistic entities, we will probably see a spike in price and a communication gap between consumer and company. What do you think? Is it okay for big auto manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz to own the ride sharing industry too?