GM Shuts Down Car-Sharing Service Maven (theverge.com) 17
General Motors is shutting down Maven, the car-sharing service it launched in 2016. From a report: It joins a small but growing list of car-sharing services from automakers and other companies that have struggled or otherwise fully shut down in North America. "After critically looking at our business, the industry, and what's going on with COVID-19, we have made the tough but necessary decision to wind down our business," the company explained in an email to Maven customers sent on Tuesday. Originally designed to be a competitor to the Zipcars and Car2Gos of the world, GM expanded Maven in 2018 to allow car owners to share their vehicles on the service as well, similar to services like Turo or Getaround. At its peak, Maven was available in 17 cities across the US. But Maven's first CEO left her post early last year, and by mid-2019, GM decided to pull the service from about half of its cities, including major markets like Boston, Chicago, and New York City. Maven continued to operate in cities like Detroit, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Toronto until last month when service was suspended amid the pandemic.
And nothing of value was lost (Score:2)
All of the "sharing" services dubious now (Score:1)
With so much concern about the spread of Covid19, it seems like just about any shared physical object is a dubious proposition - shared bikes, shared cars, shared transportation in general all just seems high risk and the first thing that needs to go at the first hint of any future virus issues.
Maybe some of it can work with a re-think of surfaces used, to make them act to kill viruses and bacteria... but I just don't see how shared transportation like buses or subways can be looked at the same way again.
Re:All of the "sharing" services dubious now (Score:4)
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Who is Maven? (Score:5, Funny)
"After critically looking at our business, the industry, and what's going on with COVID-19, we have made the tough but necessary decision to wind down our business," A survey of a wide range of people across the US determined that no one had never even heard of this service. Of the twelve people that had downloaded our app, eleven reported that they had forgotten that it was on their phone. The lone developer continues to assert that it is the "best app evah", and is still begging his CxO father not to shut the project down.
Maven? (Score:4, Insightful)
Was anyone actually aware this even existed? (seriously)
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Yep. They were part of a competitive bid at my university to take over the campus carshare. They made big flashy promises that industry experts like myself were able to call out as BS. A month later they rescinded many of their offers and stopped expanding business. A year later, they've gone under. We stuck with the industry standard. Maven was acting like a startup pet-project. Stability matters for universities.
Re: Maven? (Score:1)
Never heard of it either.
Last I heard of sharing things was when all the bike sharing imploded.
Not surprising (Score:2)
Lyft (Score:3)
GM owns a big chunk of Lyft, too.
TIL (Score:2)
That a company is stupid enough to try and start a car sharing service in America. AMERICA. Worshiping the mighty car is 3rd only behind guns and Jesus.
In Europe these services are actually widely successful. I don't expect they are even remotely interesting to any American. ... Maybe a European expat in America who still hasn't figured out that fuel is basically free there.
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That a company is stupid enough to try and start a car sharing service in America. AMERICA. Worshiping the mighty car is 3rd only behind guns and Jesus.
In Europe these services are actually widely successful. I don't expect they are even remotely interesting to any American. ... Maybe a European expat in America who still hasn't figured out that fuel is basically free there.
Having your own car is looking pretty darn good right now, I'd say, from a safety standpoint.
Yeah (Score:2)
Pretty much all hip concepts are being devastated. Any "sharing" stuff, obviously. Dense downtown living isn't looking too attractive. Mass transit? Oh, and sorry, but you have to use plastic store bags now.
You could hardly design it better to be anti-hip.
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However, for companies with money, could use this time to invest in hip concepts and ideas.
This quarter's financials will be recked. Being the case, every investor knows this, you might as well spend time on a good long term ideas without distractions on trying to meet this quarters budget.