The next time you take an Uber, you might start seeing ads. Uber is launching a dedicated advertising division to start making money from its large collection of customer data, including trip and purchase histories, the company said in a blog post last week. That means you'll see what the company calls "journey ads" before and during your ride. Uber is also testing in-car advertising tablets, such as the kind you may have seen mounted in taxis, in San Francisco and Los Angeles. "While you're waiting to be matched with a driver, an ad will pop up in the app, with ads from the same brand also displayed while on trip," said Carissa Simons, senior manager of corporate communications at Uber. "Uber's ad formats are designed to reach consumers with relevant offers or information in a non-disruptive way throughout the ride process." Uber is following in the footsteps of companies such as Netflix and Amazon, which are turning themselves into ad networks years after launching as subscription-based companies.