Perception of Mercedes is different in Europe than in the US. In Zurich, for example, Mercedes is probably the most common brand among normal taxis - some of them even S-classes with electronically adjustable black leather seats. I think Uber will have a hard time expanding into cities where the normal taxis already have a high standard.
Exactly, the cab company my employer uses here in Edinburgh is great - they have an excellent IVR system (when I phone their number, it knows who I am and asks if I want a taxi from my home address) or an iPhone app.
Cabs are always clean and drivers very polite - I've never had a problem with them for years and I use them for all my personal taxi usage as well.
I'm not sure what advantage Uber would have in this market.
Sounds like Uber is mostly capitalizing on the intense regulatory capture in the US taxi industry that allows cab companies to be horribly complacent about the customer experience. In places where cab companies are already competitive, Uber doesn't look so shiny.
