Uber buys digital mapping service deCarta, lessening dependence on tools from Google, Apple

Uber Technologies is buying digital mapping specialist deCarta in a deal that may help the rapidly growing ride-hailing service lessen its dependence on navigation services supplied by Google and Apple.

The acquisition confirmed Wednesday will provide Uber's fleet of drivers with another way to find the passengers summoning rides on the company's mobile app and deliver them to their destinations more quickly.

The deal comes a month after an unconfirmed report that Google Inc. is planning a rival ride-hailing service that would draw upon the driverless cars that the company has been engineering for the past few years.

For now, Uber says it plans to blend deCarta's technology with the maps its service already uses from Google and Apple.

Financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed.