General Motors’ Maven has shown impressive numbers and success in its ride-sharing endeavors, and due to its growing popularity, has recently partnered up with Uber in Australia to test its new car-sharing operation Maven Gig, a platform specifically designed to help workers participating in the growing gig economy.
In an increasingly industrialized world, there is a major problem of traffic congestion and an overflow of automobiles on the road. In addition to more traffic on the streets, there is also the issue of excessive carbon emission and pollution. General Motors recognized these problems and created an alternative method of transportation that resembles ride-share services like Zipcar or Car2go.
Maven can “provide urban dwellers with convenient access to wheels without the higher expenses involved with ownership” through the use of the Maven app, which allows occasional motorists to “reserve and unlock a car via smartphone app and then return it to a designated parking space when they’re done with it.” Since its start last year, Maven has now expanded into 14 markets nationwide. Bob Tiderington, senior manager of member management and operations for General Motors’ Maven service, had the following to say about Maven and its purpose for today’s growing urban population:
“There’s always going to be a contingency of folks in the world that want to drive cars and have control of the steering wheel. At the same time, in more and more cities, car ownership will continue to become more and more of a challenge… Operating a [car-sharing] service versus selling everybody a car, in some parts of the world, just frankly makes better sense… For those folks who are out there and may not have the means to go out there and flat-out purchase or lease a vehicle … they have the opportunity to participate in this type of economy at a much lower, more cost-effective rate.”
The arranged leasing agreement between Maven and Uber will allow Uber drivers to rent cars produced by GM’s Australian manufacturer GM Holden; this partnership may pave the way for other car manufacturers to enter the ride-sharing industry.
Mohammad Sultani for TechFunnel.com
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