Car Share expansion drive could challenge public transport

A growing number of big players in the automotive sector are promoting new offers of car-based urban mobility that give users the flexibility of private transport, but without the commitment to car ownership. What could this mean for public transport?

Autolib Electric vehicle charging

Autolib Electric vehicle charging

New technology payment and information systems are helping the carshare revolution.

New technology payment and information systems are helping the carshare revolution.

The news that Avis have bought Zipcar, and that car2go (run by Daimler, Mercedes’s parent company) have begun building up carshare operations around London, has further highlighted the potential of this sector to produce new solutions for urban mobility and potentially pose a challenge to traditional public transport. But will these new players in the urban transport mix - including other major car manufacturers like Peugeot and BMW and car hire firms like Hertz, Sixt and Enterprise -...