It’s official: Transportation is changing forever. This may sound like a no-brainer if you follow the tech industry, but it’s not just highly valued ride-sharing startups and search giants who are singing that tune. It’s old-school Detroit, too.
General Motors is launching a Zipcar-style car-sharing service called Maven, the company announced today. Maven will house all of the company’s car-sharing initiatives, including a new program set to debut in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and an existing pilot program in New York that will expand to Chicago.
Like Uber and its competitors, the growth of car-sharing services points to a future in which full-fledged car ownership will become less and less and common. A few weeks into the new year, General Motors has already made multiple investments toward that future: The company recently sank $500 million into Uber competitor Lyft and, earlier this week, snatched up the remains of defunct ride-sharing service Sidecar.
The Maven fleet will feature connected car technology that allows users to personalize their experience, as well as a WhatsApp chat integration for customer service. Car rentals will start at $6 per hour.
[via TechCrunch]
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