Google and Uber may become rivals Published duration 3 February 2015

image copyright JORGE ROMERO

Uber has announced plans to research self-driving cars, which could put it head to head with Google.

Google launched a driverless car division in 2010.

Uber is teaming up with Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, USA, to fund the Uber Advanced Technologies Center, it said in a blog post

In turn, Google may be mulling over plans to roll out its own car-hailing service, according to Bloomberg

Bloomberg quoted a source close to Uber's board of directors who claimed it had been shown screenshots of an app-based cab service, which Google already offers to staff.

Google has been contacted by the BBC for comment but tweeted in response to the article

"We think you'll find Uber and Lyft work quite well. We use them all the time."

In 2013, Google invested around $250m (£166m) in Uber, which now operates in more than 200 cities worldwide but has faced controversy over the way in which it vets its drivers following the rape of a customer in Delhi.

Uber's new research partnership will also look at maps and car safety technology, the firm said.