electronic mail moderate in a new legal filing show Uber ’s former CEO , Travis Kalanick , fray for years about other companies outstripping Uber in the race to develop autonomous vehicles and use them for ridesharing , and once sought a partnership with Google to ensure that Uber could win the race . In one email , Kalanick complained to Google chief effectual officer and senior vice president of collective development David Drummond ( who serve on Uber ’s add-in for several long time beforestepping down in 2016 ) that Alphabet CEO Larry Page was avoid him .
The emails are included in a new filing in Waymo ’s lawsuit against Uber , which accuses Uber of ripping off craft closed book developed at Google to advance its own sovereign fomite attempt .
Although Google and Uber are now facing off in court of law , the two companies had a warmer relationship in 2015 . Drummond still sat on Uber ’s board andGoogle Ventures had invested more than $ 300 million in Uber . Google was lick on ego - driving car , and Kalanick want to partner with the company to leave an sovereign ride - hailing service .
But rumors about Google ’s own effort to use self - drive cars for ride - hailing were swirling — and Kalanick was upset .
Drummond replied that he would attempt to meet with Kalanick while the two were inflict Brussels , but the email seems to indicate that the meeting fly through .
Three calendar month later , Kalanick emailed Drummond a tip he ’d received that Google would be launching a “ ego - drive military service ” within three months .
“ We get material like this more than I would like . A get together with Larry could calm this down if it is not true but he has been avoiding any confluence with me since last fall , ” Kalanick write . “ Without any dialogue we get crowd into the assumption that Google is contend in the short term and has in all probability been planning to do so for quite a fleck longer than has been have on . ”
Kalanick added that a meeting with Page was crucial to lock down a “ right partnership ” on self - beat back technology .
Drummond responded with an apology and said he would work to arrange a meeting between Page and Kalanick . “ I proceed to believe that a partnership now far outweighs concerns about an uncertain future , ” Drummond wrote .
The coming together between Kalanick and Page finally take place three Clarence Shepard Day Jr. after that email substitution . Emil Michael , an Uber executive whorecently resignedduring the dirt over sexual molestation and management problems at the company , also pay heed the meeting .
The drive - hailing partnership that Kalanick feared has now come to fruition — in May , Waymo accord to partner with Lyft , Uber ’s basal rival . Last August , Google alsolaunched a ride - hailing servicethrough its dealings app Waze that could become a major Uber rival .
Uber is now seeking deposit with Page and Drummond to observe out more about their interactions with Anthony Levandowski , a former Waymo engineer who is accused of stealing 14,000 confidential documents and using them to make autnomous fomite engineering science for Uber , and about why the Uber - Google partnership went dour .
Uber ’s lawyer lay claim that Kalanick and Page met once again after Levandowski allegedly downloaded the document in December 2015 and January 2016 . They desire to know why Page did n’t mention the larceny to Kalanick , since he roll in the hay that Levandowski bring for Uber . But Uber is also hollow for info about why Google at long last decided to compete with the company it had once invested heavily in .
“ Mr. Page also has personal cognition of Google ’s discussions of a partnership with Uber , including a lunch meeting to discourse this subject between Mr. Page , Mr. Kalanick , and Mr. Drummond on March 10 , 2015 , ” Uber ’s lawyer Arturo Gonzalez write in a letter of the alphabet legal brief filed today . “ Mr. Page also has knowledge about why Waymo rejected that avenue and alternatively chose to compete with Uber . ”
Waymo hasopposed Uber ’s effortsto unassailable depositions with Page , Drummond , and other Google administrator , tell that Uber can see the information it need elsewhere . “ Uber can not show Mr. Drummond has unique and personal knowledge on these issues . Uber obviously knows its own line of work plan and strategy for its self - driving car programme that were provided to its Board of Directors , Uber ’s plans to win Ottomotto , and the timing of Mr. Drummond ’s membership on Uber ’s board , ” Waymo lawyer Charles Verhoeven wrote in a June 30 filing .
Spokespeople for Uber and Waymo declined to comment beyond the company ’ court filing .
Update 7/6/17 at 7:15 p.m. ET : An Uber voice provided the following financial statement on the company ’s scrap to get deposition with key Google executives .
There is no replacement for these depositions , which would decide some key unreciprocated questions . For case : why , after Google learned of the alleged downloading of 14,000 file cabinet , did Mr. Page not alert Uber ’s then - CEO to that fact when they spoke ? Simultaneously , Google was pooh-pooh a partnership with Uber , choose or else to compete . This — and the lack of evidence stand Waymo ’s font — begs the obvious question : was this lawsuit actually motivated by the downloading of the files , or was it an endeavour to slow down a competition ?
Update 7/6/17 at 11:55 p.m. ET : A Waymo spokesperson say , “ Uber bear on to mischaracterize our claim in rules of order to unhinge the great unwashed from the bottom line of products : that Uber is using slip Waymo craft closed book in their technology . We take care forward to presenting our evidence at tribulation and respectfully expect the Court ’s ruling on Uber ’s deposition requests . ”
GoogleLarry PageSelf - tug carsUberWaymo
Daily Newsletter
Get the best tech , science , and culture news in your inbox day by day .
News from the future , delivered to your present .
You May Also Like
