DailyTech - GM Partners with RelayRides for Personal Vehicle Rental Program in 2012

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Auto GM Partners with RelayRides for Personal Vehicle Rental Program in 2012
Tiffany Kaiser - October 6, 2011 12:01 PM

12 comment(s) - last by ihateu3.. on Oct 7 at 5:00 AM

How would you feel about renting out your 556hp grocery getter? (Source: General Motors/Cadillac)

GM vehicle owners can rent out their idle vehicles on RelayRides' online marketplace

General Motors has announced a new partnership with RelayRides that will allow auto owners to rent out their vehicles via OnStar.

RelayRides is the first peer-to-peer marketplace for vehicle sharing. The program aims to allow owners to "leverage" the OnStar system by making vehicles temporarily available to those who need them at affordable prices. Also, the idea is to use fewer vehicles on already-busy streets in larger cities.

This is how it works: vehicle owners with a Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac or GMC vehicle that they rarely use can place the vehicle for rent on RelayRides' online marketplace for whatever rates and availability they choose. Renters can then choose a vehicle on the marketplace via a mobile application, make an online reservation, find the vehicle through GPS, and unlock it using OnStar. For vehicles that do not have OnStar, RelayRides installs a small device that offers access for renters.

"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."

RelayRides offers a $1 million insurance policy in an effort to make transactions safe, and using OnStar provides the convenience of not having to install additional hardware in GM vehicles.

“RelayRides has always worked toward providing the safest, most advanced, peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace, where neighbors can help out one another by making their frequently unused car available to those who live nearby,” said RelayRides Chief Executive Officer André Haddad. “With the new GM relationship, RelayRides can leverage the OnStar technology to make carsharing even more convenient, with nothing more than a mobile app. Carsharing has never been easier.”

The GM/RelayRides program will begin in early 2012, and offer a range of vehicles including the Chevrolet Volt extended-range EV. The mobile app will also be released around this time. RelayRides is currently available in Boston and San Francisco, but will expand to other U.S. cities that express the demand for its services.

Source: GM News

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Over my dead body!

By Brandon Hill

(blog) on 10/6/2011 12:02:29 PM , Rating: 4

I hardly even let my wife drive my car. I sure as hell am not going to rent it out to some stranger.

RE: Over my dead body!

By Stuka on 10/6/2011 12:12:05 PM , Rating: 2

Every single person I know, other than my own mother, treats their cars like an old sock, so I would venture that there is a substantial portion of the population who wouldn't care. It's just a tool to them and if they can make money off it, they wouldn't even balk at the chance. Plus, I am assuming there is a clause that any damage is covered by the rental company. Could be wrong though.

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RE: Over my dead body!

By Brandon Hill

(blog) on 10/6/2011 12:15:04 PM , Rating: 3

I can just see it now. You get your car back, get stopped by the cops for something.

"I swear officer, those aren't my drugs!"
"I swear officer, I didn't put that dead hooker in the trunk!"

;)

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RE: Over my dead body!

By Dr of crap on 10/6/2011 12:37:36 PM , Rating: 1

And those are the ones that will rent from the little old people, and destroy the car for them.

Trust me, the people that care for their car, wash them and clean the inside so as to have a place for there feet, won't rent their car out.

This is not going to go over big unless gas takes a HUGH increase and people NEED to make some extra dough!

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RE: Over my dead body!

By Flunk on 10/6/2011 12:39:58 PM , Rating: 2

Yes, but we're not the target market. If you owned a 2002 Impala with stains all over the carpets you probably wouldn't mind renting it out on weekends.

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RE: Over my dead body!

By MrTeal on 10/6/2011 12:56:44 PM , Rating: 2

Hell, I would have loved this program in college. I'd walk the mile and a half to Safeway to buy groceries and then get a cab back to my apartment. If I could have picked up a car for the afternoon to go get groceries and all my other running around, that would have been great.

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RE: Over my dead body!

By Jeffk464 on 10/6/2011 2:30:39 PM , Rating: 2

Isn't 1.5 miles basically nothing by bike?

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RE: Over my dead body!

By MrTeal on 10/6/2011 5:22:19 PM , Rating: 2

1) I didn't have my bike in the same city.
2) It's difficult to move 2 weeks of groceries on a bike.

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RE: Over my dead body!

By Jeffk464 on 10/6/2011 2:26:50 PM , Rating: 2

Indeed, you would have to pay me enough money to insure my car and maintenance warranty umbrella policy to cover any possible cost from abuse. If you did that for me I guess I wouldn't sweat renting out my 6 year old Tacoma at a big profit.

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