Uber seems eager to move on from the public relations nightmare that was 2014 and make 2015 the year of European expansion.
Speaking at the Digital Life Design conference in Munich Sunday, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said the company hopes to create partnerships in cities throughout the European Union.
But Kalanick made clear to do that, European regulators would have to work with the ride-sharing company.
In Uber's short, five-year lifespan, it's faced so many regulatory hurdles in both the U.S. and abroad it's hard to keep track.
So it's perhaps a smart move that the company is aiming for a more cooperative approach to dealing with regulations in 2015.
The Wall Street Journal quotes Kalanick calling existing regulations anti-competitive, saying, “These rules exist because the regulated taxi industry is trying to protect itself.”
He blames those regulations for stifling innovation in the transportation industry, in job growth and in addressing concerns over pollution caused by vehicles.
Kalanick said adding Uber to an E.U. city would add 10,000 jobs over four years and improve transit efficiency by keeping personal cars off the road.
Despite all the bad press and the obstacles it still has to overcome, Uber's growth shows all the signs of a company here to stay. It started 2014 doing business in 60 cities and ended the year with operations in 250.
This video includes images from Getty Images.
