General Motors is revving up its mobile strategy to better cater to millennials by introducing a car-sharing program that enables New York residents to use a mobile application to reserve a GM vehicle for temporary use.

The automotive manufacturer is seeking to offer more urban mobility services to its consumers following the success of ride-sharing apps, such as Uber and Lyft, in metropolitan areas. The Let?s Drive NYC program may convert a slew of millennials into future GM customers by providing them with branded utility and constant connectivity.

?We think a lot of younger people are putting off big life events and decisions,? said Peter Kosak, executive director of product planning at GM Urban Mobility Solutions, Detroit, MI. ?We see millennials getting married later, taking their first big job later, buying their first vehicle later, and we think if we can address their need for mobility by offering shared vehicles, we can make great impressions.?

?This is a great opportunity for us to have a new introduction with a group of consumers who may not be familiar with us.?

Branded convenience
GM understands that residents of major cities may not own vehicles or have easy access to reserving one for the day. Therefore, the brand believes it is offering frictionless access to some of its top-selling cars for apartment dwellers who may not want to use ride-sharing apps throughout their day.

The Let?s Drive NYC platform is now available to consumers living in The Ritz Plaza, a luxury apartment building in midtown Manhattan with nearly 500 units. To use the service, residents must download the application to reserve a car, which also offers them access to one of 200 Icon Parking Systems garages across Manhattan.

The fleet of currently available cars includes two Chevrolet Equinox compact SUVs and eight Chevrolet Trax small SUVs, with more to be added at a later date.

The Ritz Plaza residents will receive electronic credits redeemable for three hours of car rentals each month. If consumers would like more usage, they may pay less than $10 an hour or up to $75 for 24 hours.

GM is attempting to differentiate the Let?s Drive NYC program from other services such as Uber by integrating OnStar connectivity into the vehicles, which provides travel information and concierge services at the tap of a button.

Personalized flexibility
GM is seeking to offer the utmost flexibility and convenience to city dwellers, while ensuring that all users have a personalized experience with Let?s Drive NYC. The brand views urban mobility, as well as changing consumer preferences, as business opportunities to expand its suite of services to better suit the age of technology and mobile.

GM initially piloted the program this past summer to select Ritz Plaza tenants who completed more than one hundred rides in the tristate area. The positive response led to a broader rollout this fall, complemented by a partnership with Icon Parking Systems.

The automotive marketer will likely experience enhanced brand awareness thanks to this mobile-optimized platform. Consumers who opt to use a Chevrolet for their trips in and around New York City may become so impressed that they decide to purchase a similar model in the future.

The integration of OnStar also adds a personalized aspect to the platform that other ride-sharing apps are not able to provide to the mass market.

GM has been ramping up its focus on connected cars and devices with fervor as of late.

Its Chevrolet brand will offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility in 14 vehicles for the 2016 model year to satisfy customer demand for in-car services such as navigation, messaging and streaming entertainment while supporting GM?s ambition to become a leader on mobile (see story).

 ?Mobile and connectivity are the enablers for these kinds of sharing systems,? Mr. Kosak said. ?Vehicle connectivity is something we?ve developed a lot of learning around.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely, staff writer on Mobile Marketer, New York