Car companies thirsty for Uber-style influence: If you can't beat 'em, join em

Car makers and auto parts companies want to make sure you'll need them to get around, even when urban car ownership plummets, as expected in coming years.

They're jealous of the Ubers and Lyfts of the world that connect riders to on-demand transportation options, and they're trying to catch up.

Transportation analysts have painted a picture of the future, and it's a scary one if you're a car maker dependent on individual car ownership, and a rosy one if you're offering some other service like ride-hailing or bike-sharing. More and more people are expected to get around using apps to jump into carpool pickups and unlock bikes to get from the train to the office. So it makes sense that companies like Volvo and Bosch are getting into the ride-hailing and carpooling game. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Read more...