Not only did the company start up the well-known Car2Go carsharing service, but Daimler has now bought a 15 percent stake in MyTaxi, an application that allows people to order a taxi via their iPhone or Android device.
Germany and Austria-based MyTaxi currently has had around 800,000 downloads and 7,000 taxi drivers are using it, according to CEO Sven Kuelper.
The company has plans to expand further into Europe, including Spain, Switzerland and others. The company is also considering expansion into other markets.
According to Bloomberg, Daimler, along with telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom and Germany's KfW Group, has invested a combined 10 million euros ($13 million) into MyTaxi. Daimler sees it as the perfect partner for Car2Go.
Just as Car2Go shows you the location of available vehicles which can be taken and returned at will, MyTaxi allows users to search for their nearest taxi and book it, giving details on distance and arrival times, as well as a fare calculator and GPS function.
Both are aimed at making urban transportation easier than ever, particularly for those with no car of their own, or occasionally have to travel without it. Car2Go San Diego was the first to offer an entirely electric car-sharing range, with a fleet of Smart ForTwo Electric Drives.
Could MyTaxi expand to the U.S? Time will tell, but with rising gas prices and other expenses associated with owning your own car, we welcome improvements in the alternatives.
