General Motors and RelayRides, the world's first peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace, have announced a relationship that will allow millions of GM vehicle owners to use OnStar to rent out their idle cars through the RelayRides marketplace.  

 

RelayRides allows vehicle owners to choose to rent out their idle vehicles, with the owner controlling the rates and availability of the car. RelayRides provides an online marketplace and a $1 million insurance policy to make the transaction safe and convenient.

 

Through innovative technology integration, RelayRides will leverage OnStar through a mobile app to allow RelayRides borrowers to unlock GM cars with their mobile phones. The RelayRides app will also allow customers to check for available vehicles, make a online reservation online as well as check future reservations, locate their reserved vehicle via GPS and lock and unlock the vehicle, all through their smartphone.

 

The program initially will promote the relationship through various events and demonstrations in California to showcase GM's OnStar and RelayRides technology, and will feature Chevrolet vehicles. 

 

Founded in June 2010, RelayRides is currently available in San Francisco and Boston, and plans to strategically expand to U.S. areas that demonstrate high consumer demand.

 

The program will launch in early 2012.