Uber to push for European expansion this year, CEO says

The chief executive of Uber Technologies may want to make peace with Europe, where competitors and regulators have been creating new rules to protect the regulated taxi industry.

At a tech conference in Munich, Germany, on Sunday, Travis Kalanick said Uber would make 2015 the year where a strong push would be made for European expansion, The Wall Street Journal reported. 

Kalanick went on to say that the company wanted to establish a new partnership with European Union cities and was looking forward to spending more time in Europe this year. He said he hoped to take 400,000 cars off European roads and create 50,000 new jobs.   

In the U.S., Republicans have flocked to the ride-sharing company’s aid in recent months in its ongoing fight against legislators who want to limit its operations. 

But Uber’s most recent firestorm has been over the company’s use of customer data. The company’s ability to monitor users’ movements — where they live, sleep, travel — has critics like Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) calling for more stringent privacy laws.