Opel may have just launched the 2016Â Astra, one its bread and butter vehicles, but behind the scenes the company is currently shifting much of its focus from product to mobility marketing, as part of its journey down the path to profitability.
With OnStar now being rolled-out throughout Europe, the company has a leg up over much of the competition. However, Opel also has another mobility service in the works.
The company is reportedly preparing to launch an Airbnb-style peer-to-peer service next month that allows private drivers to lend out their Opel vehicles. It’s kind of like RelayRides, but you set it up yourself and it’s only for Opel owners.
Best of all, the service is simple to use. Once a driver lists their vehicle the app automatically pairs it with a prospective candidate to loan it out to.
Opel’s definitely not the first company to exploit the ride-sharing niche but we could see how the service could come in handy in a crowded European city center.
“We want to be a mobility service. It’s why the idea of connectivity will become more and more important for us,” said Chief Marketing Officer and member of the board at Opel Group Tina Müller, at The Financial Times’ Marketing Innovators Summit in a report. “We’re moving from being a product brand to much more purpose orientated, becoming a mobility business.”
Will the new service help push Opel into the black? We’ll have to sit tight and wait to see how 2016 pans out.
Look for more info on Opel’s new ride sharing service in the coming weeks.
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