France may not be keen on Uber, but the country has fallen in love with another ride-sharing platform, BlaBlaCar, which allows people to take up free car seats on other people’s journeys. Boasting 20 million members across 19 countries, what’s behind the start-up’s success?

Grab in Southeast Asia, Ola in India, and Lyft in the US – as ride-hailing becomes an increasingly lucrative sector, Uber’s competition is getting stiff. The world’s most popular private driver app is now bowing out of China, where it’s experienced significant losses in a face-off with Didi Chuxing.

While it’s been a big part of the personal mobility revolution, Uber has been heavily criticised for some of its controversial practices. How has German rival Blacklane – which now serves 180 cities across 50 countries – managed to expand its chauffeur-driven service without courting controversy?

Push for a pizza, swipe for a cleaner and tap for a taxi. The rise of apps like Uber is facilitating the culture of ‘I want it, and I want it now’. For digital-savvy city-dwellers from London to Beijing, everything you need – from your dinner to a ride home – is just an app away.