iCabbi plans to “build a better future for the taxi industry” following Uber Autocab acquisition

A rival taxi booking platform to Autocab has stated they plan to “build a better future for the taxi industry” as the competition looks set to rise following the shock acquisition made by Uber.

This week Uber sent shockwaves through the UK taxi and private hire industry after announcing they had entered into an agreement to buy the popular technology company Autocab.

As part of the acquisition Autocab will continue to provide private hire and taxi operators with technology to run their business, including booking and dispatch software, and also connect them with trips through their iGo marketplace. 

A rival booking platform, iCabbi, have now hit back in response to the buyout. Its Founder and CEO, Gavan Walsh, suggested that with the continued help and investment of Renault, they plan to “build a better future for the taxi industry”. Walsh went on to add that iCabbi’s long-term aim remains “serving positively the interests of our customers”.

iCabbi’s biggest investor, Renault, also showed their public support. Jean-Christophe Labarre, Strategy and Mobility Services Alliance Development Director at Groupe Renault, stated that the acquisition marked a new era where the French car manufacturers would “continue to support iCabbi in its efforts to serve its market and its customer base”.

Labarre said in full via LinkedIn social media: “I might say, I am happy to see Uber acquire Autocab for a number of reasons not least because it demonstrates the foresight of our strategy to invest in the market leader iCabbi 2 years ago and supporting that business to develop and grow and in turn support the taxi industry.

“This is the beginning of a new era for most players, an era where we will continue to support iCabbi in its efforts to serve its market and its customer base.

“As a board member for a couple of years now, I’ve seen, we've seen with all the Renault team involved here, an incredible team trying to develop their business in a way that is truly outstanding. I am really proud to work with Gavan (Walsh), Mick (Tope) and Barry (O’Donnell) and the rest of this incredible company who does everything they can to serve their customers in Ireland, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand…

“We have passionate discussions on a daily basis. Let's keep that momentum up and... Let's see what's under the hood”

In response to Labarre’s comments, Gavan Walsh, said: “I feel very fortunate to have iCabbi associated with Renault. Together the vision is to build a better future for the taxi industry. Our long term strategy is focused on serving positively the interests of our customers. We remain committed to this and although this year brought about unexpected disruption, I'm excited about the future. Thanks JC (Labarre) for the comment.”