Uber Will Spend $500 Million on Mapping to Distance Itself From Google

#Uber has announced a major expansion of its internal mapping program. Uber’s head of mapping, former #Google Maps exec Brian McClendon, described the initiative as a “doubling down on our investment in mapping.” The Financial Times reports that the amount of the investment will be $500 million. McClendon announced that Uber’s own mapping cars—similar to those used by Google—will expand this summer from the U.S. to Mexico, and after that to other countries.
http://fortune.com/2016/07/31/uber-mapping-google-alternative/