The era of less car owners has arrived! Possessing a vehicle is not viewed as a requirement for personal or for work use anymore, especially by younger generations of employees but also by car manufacturers. The benefits of car-sharing are mostly: work optimization and less costs.
Manufacturers are beginning a worldwide car-sharing chess game. Among them recently GM moved two pawns. Firstly, the Detroit car manufacturer invested 470 million euros in U.S. company Lyft, the second largest ride-hailing service after Uber. Secondly, General Motors acquired for 35 million euros the technology and most of the patents of Sidecar Technologies, the third largest ridesharing firm after Uber and of course… Lyft.
This move proves, for those still doubting out there, that car-manufacturers acknowledge how ride-sharing and mobility are key issues of tomorrow and thus they need to advance their pawns today!
Mutation of car industry
By 2020 already, next to autonomous cars and clean powertrains, less ownership, more ride-hailing and car-sharing are undeniably the crucial elements car manufacturers must develop. GM confirms through its Lyft and Sidecar acquisitions that the car industry is mutating. Mary Barra, CEO and Chairman of GM had wrote in LinkedIn last December how mobility is a “game changer” and they operate tests today develop “new concepts and ideas that will redefine the future of personal mobility.”
Optimizes work
Sharing a car should not be conceived by employees as a withdrawing of their personal property or a reduction of their status. On the contrary it should be perceived as an opportunity to save time, reduce the costs and increase their productivity.
How can concretely car sharing do all that? Well…
- Car sharing is easy to use. Usually all you need is your smartphone to book a car through an OEM or leasing company online platform or even your company’s online network if it’s settled;
- You don’t need to search extensively for a parking place, because there are specific spots available for car sharing both in cities and in company’s parkings. Thus you save considerable time and you avoid being late to your next appointments;
- Shared cars are also cheaper. You don’t have the constraints of taxes, insurance, car service or paying parking tickets;
- Finally, car sharing or ridesharing is green. Today sustainability becomes more and more important for companies’ fleet car policy and for their image. Not owning a car allows also to avoid paying vehicle eco-taxes in some European countries.
Future Mobility is shared.
Studies underline the different perception of new generations regarding vehicles.
Mobility is the future. Carmakers already drive towards that direction. Now it is up to all of you Fleet Managers to get out your car-keys and follow the mobility path too.