General Motors and RelayRides have teamed up with OnStar to make it much easier for your to share your ride with a total stranger. Yes, you read that right! RelayRides is the 'peer-to-peer' service which allows you to use its app to facilitate short-term rentals to complete strangers. Now with the OnStar partnership, you won't have to meet would-be renters in person to exchange keys, you can remotely unlock your car from your smart phone or via text message.
From GM's press release: "OnStar's connectivity solution provides RelayRides' members with increased security, reliability and accessibility. Individuals who forgo car ownership can conveniently access affordable and reliable transportation in a Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, or Cadillac. Owners of these OnStar-enabled GM vehicles rent out their cars and turn their idle vehicles into an income source without the hassle of installing expensive aftermarket hardware or having to meet a renter to hand off keys."
Maybe the knowledge that RelayRides provides vehicle owners with a $1 million insurance policy for owners for the duration of the rental and a $300,000 policy for renters will allay your fears of theft but some may still find themselves a little uneasy at the thought of a complete stranger doing who knows what in their ride. How about you? Are you ready to turn your gas guzzler into a cash cow?
