Google may be working on an Uber-like service using autonomous vehicles, reports Bloomberg.

The financial newswire's story says Google’s chief legal officer David Drummond, who sits on Uber's board, has mentioned Google's interest in some kind of Uber competitor, and that possible conflicts of interest are therefore being discussed. Google has apparently also done enough work on a car-summoning app that it can show off screenshots.

The plot thickens when one considers that Google Ventures was a source for much of Uber's startup capital: the Chocolate Factory tossed US$258m Uber's way in 2013 and more cash again last year.

Google's a fair way off getting any of its autonomous cars on the road, never mind enough of them to offer a decent taxi service. So Uber probably has a fair while before it needs to worry about this development.

Google, however, may be in bigger trouble: if it is indeed betting against its own investment, or there's a hint that its own plans are informed by its presence on investee companies boards, the company may not be able to give its money away in future. ®