Google appears to be entering Uber territory with is new car-pooling ride-sharing service, which is connected to its existing traffic app Waze in San Francisco, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The service will link passengers to non-professional drivers, who are driving towards the same destination and seeking to make a quick buck.

The report says the company will not run background checks on the drivers, unlike Uber which has outsourced the task to a third-party firm. It will, however, depend on user reviews to act as filters for untrustworthy drivers. Google launched a pilot programme in May this year, around its California headquarters, which was available to workers travelling to the city. So far, Google does not charge for the service, which is already running in Israel. Company officials said they do not think the drivers' income should be taxed as the fee is basically money for fuel. Google's traffic app claims to have 65 million active users.