Google to offer FREE taxis to restaurants, casinos and more (so long as you promise to spend money when you arrive)

Next time you fancy a romantic meal for two, or a trip to the cinema, you could be taken there in a free taxi, courtesy of Google.
According to a recently-awarded patent, the journeys would be paid for by advertisers hoping to encourage more people to use their businesses. 
The system would run on Google’s existing AdWords software, and in the future, these journeys could even be carried out by Google's self-driving cars.

According to a Google patent, journeys would be paid for by advertisers hoping to encourage more people to use their businesses. The system would run on Google's existing AdWords software, and in the future, these journeys could even be carried out by Google's self-driving cars, pictured

GOOGLE'S AD-POWERED TAXIS

Local businesses would compete for adverts, in the same way firms currently compete for Google adverts online.

Google would use location data, and other relevant personalised information including browsing history, to show relevant ads on a smartphone.
Additionally, these adverts could be shown at bus stops and train stations on a kiosk.
To get more personalised options, users would be able to sign in using their Google+ details and tell Google how many people they’re with and what they’re looking for.
The final choice of adverts would be chosen using an algorithm that works out how much the journey will cost the business, and how much money the business is likely to make from any sales that take place.

The ad-powered taxi service was detailed in a patent originally filed in 2011 called ‘Transportation-aware physical advertising conversions’.
It explains that local businesses would compete for the adverts in the same way firms currently compete for Google adverts on webpages.
Google would then use location data, and other relevant personalised information including browsing history, to show relevant ads on a smartphone.
Additionally, these adverts could be shown at bus stops and train stations on a kiosk.
To get more personalised options, users would sign in using their Google+ details and tell Google how many people they’re with and what they’re looking for.
The final choice of adverts would be chosen using an algorithm that works out how much the journey will cost the business, and how much money the business is likely to make from any sales that take place.
For example, if a group of friends are on a night out and want to go somewhere for dinner, they could sign into Google+ and select how many people are in the group, and even what kind of food they want.

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Google would use location data, and other relevant personalised information including browsing history, to show relevant ads on a smartphone, left. Additionally, these adverts could be shown at bus stops and train stations on a kiosk, right. To get more personalised options, users would sign in using their Google+ details

Google will scan for local businesses, find out which ones best suit the requirements and provide a free, or discounted, ride coupon.
Any journeys placed, and subsequent transactions made, would be traced and stored on a person’s phone or Google+ account.
Advertisers could then choose not to offer certain people free rides if the financial benefit from doing so isn’t significant enough.

And once Google's self-driving cars are approved, businesses could dispatch the autonomous vehicles to collect their customers.
Explaining the reasoning behind the patent, Google said: ‘Getting a potential customer to a business location in order to conduct a sale may be one of the most difficult tasks for a business or advertiser.
'An advertiser may have to offer various inducements, such as coupons, discounts, parking validations, in order to entice customers to the location.
'In some examples, ‘brick and mortar’ businesses may even be forced to invest in more costly real estate near high-traffic areas as opposed to lower-cost real estate in more isolated locations.
'These factors may create a significant financial burden to a business.'