The only peer-to-peer carsharing platform in Canada, Turo, marked its first anniversary in the country at a forum where it shared the results of a study that suggests OEMs may actually benefit from the car sharing industry.
Held at Toronto’s MaRS Discovery District, “Driving the Future: The Evolution of Car Ownership and Mobility” was a panel discussion, moderated by Toronto City Councillor, Jaye Robinson.
“People who drive their car frequently are more likely to rent it out; as their cars become an income generator, they are more likely to spend on a new or additional car,” said Vibhanshu Abhishek, Professor at Carnegie Mellon University who conducted the study.
Abhishek was one of four panelists, including Turo’s COO, Alex Benn, Christian Noske, Investment Principal with BMW i Ventures and Chris Reid, Director of Strategy, Intact Financial, who discussed and answered audience questions dealing with how the platform allows direct owner-to-renter “sharing”, as well as the growing phenomenon of autonomous vehicles and their potential role in a “sharing economy”.
In its first year in Canada, Turo has:
- Signed up 130,000 members
- Listed 2,800 cars
- Made itself available in 225 cities
- 410 different makes and models available
- 10 insurance companies onboard
Look out for more coverage on this in the upcoming May edition of Canadian auto dealer.
