Uber has acknowledged violating Australian laws during the launch of its ridesharing app, according to statements made in court. The founders of the rival company pursue substantial damages.
During proceedings.it was revealed that Uber had conceded that its UberX app operated during a period when peer-to-peer ridesharing was prohibited in multiple states.These admissions were made as part of a joint statement of agreed facts. They were submitted to the court by both Uber and GoCatch.
GoCatch alleges that Uber gained an unfair competitive edge and intentionally harmed their business roughly a decade ago when both companies were trying to capitalize on the emerging transport app market.
The court heard accusations that Uber utilized spyware to gather data from GoCatch’s servers, including contact details of GoCatch drivers whom Uber allegedly attempted to recruit.
Furthermore, GoCatch claimed that its licensed taxi drivers faced unfair competition from Uber’s unaccredited drivers who disregarded transport laws across several Australian states.
Internal Uber emails obtained during legal proceedings revealed the hostile rivalry between the companies in 2012 and 2013. Former Uber Australian general manager David Rohrsheim expressed a desire to undermine GoCatch, including obtaining phone numbers of GoCatch drivers for recruitment purposes.
Though, the court has not yet released the statements of agreed facts. The breaking of specific laws by Uber are currently unclear. Despite these revelations, the company has defended itself during the long anticipated trial.
GoCatch, once backed by billionaire James Packer and hedge fund manager Alex Turnbull. The company continues to operate as a private car and taxi booking service. However, it has not achieved the same level of success as Uber.
Uber agreed to a $272 million class action payout in a separate legal matter last month.
