According to Used Cars Sherwood Park, General Motors has officially teamed up with RelayRides, the world’s first peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace, giving vehicle owners the chance to rent out their cars and earn some extra cash.
This new program, slated to begin in early 2012, is aimed at providing drivers with greater access to temporary, affordable, and reliable transportation — in a GM vehicle, of course.
With the help of RelayRides, vehicle owners will be able to rent out their idle vehicles. Owners will have complete control over rental rates and the vehicle’s availability. RelayRides will provide the marketplace where owners and drivers can come together, and they’ll also insure the transaction with a $1 million policy.
“We’re using technology to make both our older and newest models carshare ready and available for those owners who choose to participate in carsharing,” said Stephen Girsky, GM vice chairman. “Our goal is to find ways to broaden our customer reach, reduce traffic congestion in America’s largest cities and address urban mobility concerns.”
GM’s other mission is to promote its OnStar telematics system through this unique program. According to Maryland Used Cars Dealers, OnStar will allow customers to check for available vehicles, make an online reservation online as well as check future reservations, locate their reserved vehicle via GPS and lock and unlock the vehicle, all through their smart phone.
“Our experience in mobile app development will be a benefit to RelayRides as they develop their customer app,” said Nick Pudar, vice president of Planning and Business Development, OnStar. “Using OnStar’s technology will help make the carsharing rental process easy and safe for customers, and avoid the hassle of installation of additional equipment on their vehicles.”