Commentary

GM Shutters App-Based, Car-Sharing Business

Another business is being impacted by COVID-19.

General Motor’s Maven car-sharing service is being shuttered.

This follows the for-now, temporary suspension of autonomous vehicle trials around the country.

The app-based Maven service, started in early 2016 as a ZipCar competitor, was suspended in March due to the pandemic.

In a letter to customers this week, Maven said it is winding down its business.

“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,” GM stated in a letter to Maven customers.

Other aspects of the connected-things market are seeing varying impact.

For example, growth of 5G by Ericsson this year is projected to slow in Europe but grow in China.

Also, tech spending is declining in consumer services and hospitality while growing in professional services, according to IDC.

The business shakeout from COVID-19 could be a totally mixed bag.

2 comments about "GM Shutters App-Based, Car-Sharing Business".
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  1. R MARK REASBECK from www.USAonly.US , April 22, 2020 at 8:41 p.m.

    When this virus hit, I said to myself, Uber will be destroyed and the other companies  like this one above.
    I see car ownership exploding once we get on track.  Might be good for electric cars.
    People have found that their car is actually a sanctuary.  Ride share will still be there for  some travelers,
    but not like they thought 3 or 4 families would share a car.  Self driving is on the shelf, people will want
    to control their mobility.  Develpors  may push for the “Gro-carts” for deliveries, but those are limited to city size, because the 25MPH or less cart can be a traffic nuisance.

  2. Chuck Martin from Chuck Martin, April 22, 2020 at 9:09 p.m.

    Thanks Mark, insightful.

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About the Author

Chuck Martin is Editor of the AI & IoT Daily at MediaPost and writes the daily Connected Thinking column. He is a NY Times Business bestselling author and his latest book is “Digital Transformation 3.0” (The New Business-to-Consumer Connections of The Internet of Things.) He is CEO of Net Future Institute and a frequent keynote speaker internationally. Follow him on Twitter @chuckmartin and contact him at Chuck@MediaPost.com.