Do you drive a Ford? You could be earning extra cash from your vehicle soon.
A report by Ibtimes.com found Ford Motor Company is rolling out a car sharing program wherein people can offer their financed Ford vehicles for short-term rentals. Pilot areas include London and six cities in the U.S.: Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Portland.
This initiative is a part of its Ford Smart Mobility program. The article reveals:
“Ford has been quietly collecting data on consumer appetites for peer-to-peer sharing. Based on the information, the company envisions a growing number of people using various modes of transport to move around urban landscapes.”
Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford has said that this is the future of urban transportation:
“Because autonomy, that’s mobility. You’ve a got connected car, you’ve got these different ways to access vehicles. You’ve got fractional ownership in Zipcar. You’ve got Uber and Lyft. In aggregate, it is changing the way we use our vehicles. And it’s happening really fast.”
According to Ford’s research, about a third of American millennials, or those born in the early 80s until the early 2000s, are open to renting out things like bicycles, gadgets, and cars, and are more open to sharing rides with others to lower their living expenses.
Ford is also exploring the development of MoDe:Flex, a folding electric bike that can be charged inside the car. It connects to a mobile app and determines the most efficient mode of transport from one destination to another.
In Sydney, mobile app Go People is taking peer-to-peer car sharing a step further by utilising vehicles for all-day courier services. Sydney residents with a car, bicycle, motorcycle, or van with time to spare can be a Runner and can deliver parcels within Sydney for a fee. Parcels are delivered in as fast as 10 minutes. Clients can even track the location of their parcels in real time for added security.
Are you open to the idea of earning extra income from your vehicle, and sharing it with others? What are your thoughts on this?
Read the original Article here by clicking on this link:http://www.ibtimes.com/ford-motor-company-exploring-peer-peer-car-sharing-service-1981677