carsharing
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Alexa helps you reserve a ride with car2go's carsharing service
You can now order a car2go by commanding Alexa to find the nearest one and reserve it. The pay-by-time carsharing service is the latest automotive-related company to get a skill that integrates it with Amazon's voice assistant, following BMW and Nissan.
Uber is reportedly closing down its car-leasing program in the US
Uber's terrible, awful, no-good 2017 isn't over yet. Two years after it started leasing cars to drivers, the ride-hailing company has realized that it should've looked at the economics of such a little better. "The average loss per vehicle was about 10 times what they had thought," the Wall Street Journal reports. Specifically, WSJ's sources say that the company is losing around $9,000 per car. That's a stark contrast to the $500 per-car losses it expected.
AAA launches its own app-based car sharing service
Few companies connected to the auto industry can resist the allure of starting their own car sharing service, it seems. After a brief tease, AAA's venture wing has launched Gig, an app-centric car sharing service, in Berkeley and Oakland. You pull out your phone to rent a car like you would with rivals services like Zipcar, at rates of $2.50 per mile, $15 per hour or $85 per day. However, there's a bit of a twist. You don't have to find a special point to drop your car off -- Gig has made deals with its host cities to let you drop your car off at any metered parking space or public parking lot. If you'd rather not take a detour just to end your trip at an approved location, you might not have to.
GM's Maven lets you rent cars for up to 28 days
Maven is General Motors' Zipcar-style vehicle rental service, letting you pay an hourly rate to temporarily borrow a ride. But the company is now targeting folks who want to get around for longer periods at a time with Maven Reserve. The offering enables people to reserve a car for up to 28 days at a time, including a dedicated parking space, insurance and $100 of gas in the tank. In addition, users will apparently receive a "personalized walk-through of the vehicle," as they take delivery of their fancy-schmancy rental car.
GM's car sharing service offers more EVs by teaming with cities
The city of Los Angeles is no stranger to embracing EVs and now its teaming up with GM's car-sharing service to make those vehicles more readily available. Maven announced today that it's partnering with cities to expand sustainable driving options and the initiative is kicking off in LA. Once the project fully up to speed, over 100 Chevy Bolt EVs will be available in the city.
Car2Go adds luxury Mercedes models to its carsharing lineup
If you live in a big city, you've likely seen Car2Go's white and blue two-seater Smart cars zipping about. Unlike other car sharing services, you can rent one of the company's vehicles, take it for a spin, and then simply park it anywhere in its service area when you're done. While it's certainly convenient, it's not very useful if you need to haul around friends or a trunk full of shopping bags. That's changing today, as the company just announced that it's bringing full-sized Mercedes CLA sedans and GLA crossovers to seven cities.
Mercedes-Benz's Croove is like Airbnb but for cars
Ever since we've used automobiles to get around, the idea has been to buy or part-own a car until it's served its purpose and then look for a new one. These days, less and less people are choosing to own their own transportation, largely due to the improvement in public transport and rise in ride-hailing services like Uber, but automakers are also finding new ways to capitalize on this shift. German car giant Mercedes-Benz believes car-sharing continues to be the way to go, so it's launched Croove, a new service that lets any vehicle owner rent out their car when they're not using it.
BMW expands its ReachNow car-share service to Brooklyn
At the LA Auto Show today, BMW announced that its car-sharing service, ReachNow is expanding to Brooklyn starting today. The city joins Seattle and Portland as municipalities that have access to BMWs and Minis for one-way rentals within a set geographic range.
GM's car-sharing program links Uber drivers to weekly rentals
While we mostly think of GM's Maven program as just a ZipCar-like car sharing service, it's more generally an option for "flexible" access to vehicles. That's why Maven is a part of Lyft's Express Drive program that offers up short term rentals for drivers, and today it announced a partnership with Uber. Launching with a 90 day pilot in San Francisco, it lets Uber drivers lease a Chevrolet Cruze, Malibu or Trax for $179 per week (plus fees) with no mileage limit, and insurance is included.
Toyota has eyes on ZipCar-style vehicle leasing services
ZipCar-style car sharing services, where you pay to rent a vehicle by the hour, are already a thing across much of the US. But Toyota is looking into the idea of individuals being able to lease out their own cars on an hourly basis to make some extra cash. The manufacturer has teamed up with a startup called Getaround to begin a limited trial of the proposition at the start of next year. In order to make that work, however, the company has had to work out an easy way of enabling third parties to access your ride. That's where the Smart Key Box, or SKB, comes in.
GM's car-sharing service arrives in Los Angeles
Maven, General Motors' car-sharing service, is finally coming to the City of Angels. Though Maven has been around in other cities for awhile now -- Ann, Arbor, Mich., Boston, New York City and San Francisco to name a few -- its move to Los Angeles is a pretty interesting one due to the city's car-centric culture. Essentially GM's answer to services like CityCarShare and ZipCar, Maven makes it possible for residents of Los Angeles to live a car-free life, but still have the convenience of a car if they want it.
ICYMI: Another thing likely to survive with the cockroaches
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Scientists just mapped the DNA of a microscopic organism that can survive both oxygenless places and the Antarctic. Researchers believe they might help humans survive too much radiation, which is a thing we'll probably need soon enough so get hyped, people. Meanwhile a Danish car company is showing off its prototype of a tiny carpooling electric vehicle that will one day be modified for autonomous rides. In case you're interested, you can see the Japanese Pokemon Go video here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Tesla Master Plan pt. 2 explains how everyone gets an electric car
Back in 2006 Elon Musk casually revealed the plans for what Tesla Motors has mostly accomplished in the decade since, and now (after some teasing) he's back with part two. While the original "Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan" explained how the company's vision extended beyond its Roadster to cars that would become the Model S and Model 3, what's next is even bigger. Besides adding a compact SUV and pickup truck to its model line, don't expect to see any Tesla's coming out that are cheaper than the Model 3. Instead, as Musk envisions, the rollout of fully self-driving automobiles will allow owners to put their car to work when they're not using it, and make ownership economically viable for anyone (of course, it's worth noting that car companies like Ford and GM are working on similar plans of their own).
Avis Now lets you pick your rental car from your phone
To keep up with with the growing proliferation of car sharing services (and their own sister company Zipcar), Avis will now let you pick your ride, extend your rental or just breeze through the car pick up process right from your phone. The updates are all part of the new Avis Now features, which launched today at 50 locations across the US and will expand to select international markets in the near future. To take advantage of Avis Now, drivers have to be enrolled in the free Avis Preferred loyalty program and have the Avis app installed on their iOS or Android device. From there, users can book a car, view real-time availability and even switch cars in the lot if they spot something they'd rather be driving. Like other car sharing services, the app lets you flash the lights, lock or unlock the doors and return the car without the need for human interaction. (Added bonus: you can leave those bulky rental car keys in the car during your vacation and unlock your car with TouchID.) On a more mundane note, the app also lets drivers check their mileage, fuel and rental agreement. It's all here in Avis's slick new commercial:
BMW expands ReachNow car sharing service in Seattle
After its initial Seattle launch in April, BMW is ready to beef up its ReachNow car sharing service. According to GeekWire, the automaker saw some 13,000 members sign up to use its fleet of 370 i3s, 328xis and Mini Coopers in the first month. To deal with the increased demand, BMW is rolling out another 150 vehicles in even more neighborhoods.
Zipcar tests pay-per-mile pricing system for short trips
Zipcar currently charges per hour to rent a vehicle from its fleet for a short time. The company is also testing pay-per-mile pricing in a few US cities, but there's no indication as to whether or not the new structure will be widely available in the future. As The Verge explains, the pilot program is actually a combination of the two pricing methods. You can rent a Honda Fit in Chicago for $4.50 an hour during the week or $5.50 an hour on the weekends, both of which tack on an additional 50 cents per mile. With regular pricing, a Nissan Versa costs $10.75/hour on a weekday with a 180-mile allotment before extra fees kick in.
Mini's latest concept is the mood ring of cars
Mini has produced tight, efficient economy vehicles since its first car was introduced in 1959. But its parent company BMW has been exploring how differently cars will be used in the future with its concept cars. Unlike the luxury emphasis of its self-driving Rolls Royce and BMW models, the Mini entry in the Vision Next 100 line expands customization for multiple users, a clear benefit for a car-sharing ecosystem.
Grabbing and going with BMW's ReachNow car share service
BMW wants to make car sharing classier. Its premium-level ReachNow service launched in Seattle today with BMW 3 Series, i3s and Mini Coopers scattered throughout the downtown area. Its closest vehicle-sharing competitor Car2Go has already filled the city streets with Smart Fortwos. But those tiny cars provide more utility than luxury. While it may seem logical to assume that BMW is competing with Car2Go, the carmaker doesn't see it that way. It's appealing to a different sort of user — the type who wants to commute (or just cruise) around town in style. I drove a few of the German automakers swanky cars in Seattle and while the experience was indeed fancy, it still needs a bit of polish. One of the self-professed key features of the service is how quickly users can register for it — accounts are supposed to be verified within two minutes. Because you take photos of your credit card and driver's license, the sign-up process moves quickly. And while it did take about two minutes to finish the entire process, I was verified before I even got my mailing address plugged into the app. Reservations are equally painless thanks to a map that shows all available vehicles in the area. Tapping on a desired car shows its per-minute rate and license plate number, and if you like what you see, another tap on 'reserve' makes it yours. While you wait for the app to confirm your reservation, it displays a blue walking trail to the vehicle. Should you prefer Google or Apple Maps, you can tap the automobile's location to launch your navigation of choice. You have 30 minutes to get to the rental before the reservation expires. Once you arrive at your car you can unlock the vehicle with either the app or your membership card, but both take just long enough that, if you're impatient like me, you might think it's not working. A few times I kept pressing the card against the windshield again and again trying to unlock the doors. Right when I was about to give up, the car unlocked with two chirps. Frustration, apparently, is part of the luxury experience. Once inside, the center display walks you through the process to start the vehicle -- that includes inputting the PIN you had to create during the registration process to unlock the engine. It even shows you how to start the car. For example, the start/stop button for the Mini Cooper is in the center console and not on or near the steering column. I own a 2011 Mini and was not aware they had moved the button. Once you've jumped through all those hoops, all that's left is to drive the car and enjoy the BMW experience without the corresponding car payments. Of course the company is hoping ReachNow will turn BMW renters into BMW buyers. It even noted that the 70 i3s it added to the Seattle fleet will give anyone wary of electric vehicles the opportunity to actually drive one without having to visit a dealer. BMW may be branching out into mobility, but it still wants to sell cars. While you're using one of these cars, street parking is free. Well, not really. You don't have to pay the meter, but you're charged $0.30 a minute while in away mode. When you park and turn off the car, you're given the option of ending the trip or parking and keeping the car on your account. If you're just going to quickly run into a store, the parking feature is cool. But if you plan on spending any time in a restaurant or shop, it might be better to end the trip and find a another car when you're done. That parking feature conundrum also illuminates one of the other issues with the app. Once you're tied to a vehicle, you can't see if other cars are available in the area until you end your trip. That's fine when a ton of ReachNow rentals are available in the area, but if there aren't, you could let go of your ride and have another user grab it. Then you're left to find another way to get around. If you do decide to bite the bullet and keep paying for the car while it's parked, you can't change your mind once you're out of the vehicle. You have to return to the rental, unlock it, input your PIN and then end the trip. You can't do it from the app. Another weird issue is that while it's very cool that you can set a destination in the app and send it to your reserved car, you can't do it more than once per trip. The BMW in-car navigation system works fine enough, but it's still easier to input addresses on your smartphone. Although the service has its problems, it's still pretty good. At $0.49 a minute with the price capped at $50 for three hours, it's not that much more expensive than Car2Go's $0.41 per minute rate, and ReachNow is even matching Car2Go's rate for a limited time. Is ReachNow worth the extra 8 cents an hour? It is... if you're looking for a fancier driving experience with the odd issue or two.
BMW launches premium car-sharing service in Seattle
Automakers continue to push into the shared-car market. Today BMW announced ReachNow, a premium, free-floating car sharing service in Seattle. Users can get short-term one-way rentals of BMW 3 Series, Mini Cooper or i3 vehicles anywhere in the city.
Volvo will (kinda) let drivers ditch car keys for phones
From 2017, Volvo will offer its customers the option to ditch keys and buy a car that's only unlocked with your smartphone. The firm is piloting the technology for the rest of this year with car-sharing outlet Sunfleet, based in Sweden. Subsequently, a limited number of retail vehicles will be given the Tesla-like ability to have smartphone-only access as well as remote start. Since access to the ride will be entirely app-based, users will be able to swap digital keys with other people or simply add a rental car to their device's list of trusted cars.
