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This Summer GM Plans to Launch an Airbnb for Cars Service

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GM launches Maven car-sharing program

GM has already charted the ride share waters, ever since it initiated the Maven program back in January 2016. Just two years later, the manufacturer is expanding its role to mobility provider. The company is poised to launch a new pilot program which would be the equivalent of Airbnb for cars.

Although GM hasn’t publicized the announcement, per Bloomberg, anonymous sources revealed that early this summer the company will start letting GM owners list their vehicles on the Maven platform for other drivers to book and use.

The concept isn’t a new one, considering two entities already in the peer-to-peer (P2P) car sharing business: Turo and Getaround. However, even though GM is new to the venture, it boasts a market value of approximately $53 billion, which supersedes both startups.

Photo: Hire Go

As automated vehicle technology progresses, ride share programs and Airbnb for cars services might be the new norm that replaces conventional car ownership. Websites such as Futureofcarsharing.com are raising awareness about the perks of car sharing while also connecting consumers with resources near them.

Besides curbing consumerism, P2P car sharing would also benefit the environment, as McKinsey & Company articulated in their “Mobility of the Future” brochure. “Tightening CO2 regulations on a global basis have forced the industry to adopt novel technologies faster than anticipated. […] The emerging phenomenon of car sharing in larger cities along with widespread media coverage about the negative environmental effects of car  mobility fueled concerns that consumers were seeking a replacement to the tradition of individual, private car ownership.”

In light of this current shift in the market, manufacturers are starting to position themselves for success. As Alexandre Marian, a director in the automotive and industrial practice at consultant AlixPartners LLP, articulated, “Carmakers are preparing for disruption, so they are experimenting with different models.”

We anticipate more details about GM’s pilot program this summer as the trend of P2P car sharing continues to increase.

News Sources: Bloomberg, Future of Car Sharing, McKinsey & Company