Car Sharing

Car manufacturers are getting into the business of moving people without selling them a car. Within GM, that push led to the creation of Maven. New Atlas spoke with Deric Harwood, Head of Maven Chicago about ride sharing, and how it's helping develop autonomous cars.

Toyota has unveiled a new device aimed at allowing anyone to share their car. The Smart Key Box can be installed in a vehicle so as to provide access to people via their smartphones.

For Danish startup Spiri, personal car ownership is too inefficient, traditional ride-sharing services too expensive and public transport too inconvenient. It's self-drive carpooling service is promised to get you where you need to be at the price of a bus ticket for passengers and free for drivers.

Already, drivers of cars with engine-start push buttons require nothing more than a Bluetooth key fob. Volvo, however, is taking things a step farther. Beginning this spring, some Volvo drivers will need nothing more than their smartphone to use their car.

While bicycle-sharing services can come in very handy, not everyone wants to pedal a bike everywhere they go. That's where VeloMetro comes into the picture. The startup is developing a point-to-point service that will allow users to rent a sort of e-bike/car hybrid, known as the Veemo.

Narrow-track vehicles are almost certainly part of the solution for traffic congestion. Now Toyota is undergoing research in pioneering EV-sharing schemes for last mile multi-model transport in Japan and France using it's i-Road car-motorcycle combination and its Japan-only COMS EV.

Continental has begun testing a smartphone app enabling real-time centralized control for access to and charging of electric vehicle fleets.

IMA's Colibri ultra-compact electric inner-city, one-seater debuted last month at Geneva.

The e-Bee is a concept car, designed to showcase visions for mobility technology in the year 2020.

Renault has announced that it is to trial a car-sharing scheme, Twizy Way, that will see a fleet of 50 Renault Twizys take to the streets of the French new town of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

Daimler has launched a new version of the Smart Fortwo, designed specifically for the car2go car-sharing program.

After a successful six-month trial, the car2go car-sharing program in Austin, Texas, is being made available to the public.