Madrid. It’s widely known that a MINI offers drivers an unrivaled
exhilarating go-kart feel, transforming even the most mundane journey
into something much more fun. For the first time, MINI is launching a
new service to enable MINI owners to share this unmistakable
experience with friends, acquaintances and family. With the new MINI
Sharing app, MINI owners can grant friends, family members or
colleagues permission to open and start their vehicle via a
smartphone. As part of a pilot project in the Spanish capital, this
personal form of car sharing is now being tested under everyday conditions.
The peer-to-peer sharing trial is designed for a fleet of up to
500 vehicles. Owners of current MINI models produced since March 2018
will be invited to participate, and their vehicle will be equipped or
retrofitted with a MINI Sharing Module that enables access and engine
start via smartphone.
The trail in Madrid will provide important insights for the
global expansion of the MINI brand’s sharing economy activities. The
BMW Group has identified digital mobility services as one of the
future fields to advance as part of NUMBER ONE NEXT strategy. With
its increased commitment to the D-ACES (Design, Autonomous, Connected,
Electrified and Services) topics, the company is playing a leading
role in shaping mobility of the future. “MINI drivers are always
ahead of their time, just like their groundbreaking and modern
vehicles,” says Sebastian Mackensen, MINI Senior Vice President.
“With MINI Sharing, we enable our customers in Spain to
participate in the sharing economy. This new technology fits perfectly
with our desirable cars and our innovative customer demographic. “
MINI Sharing allows the vehicle owner to share their MINI with
up to ten people of their choosing, with the vehicle availability
highlighted in the app’s inbuilt calendar function. The guest drivers
can use the app to make a reservation request from their smartphone
with just a few taps. After the owner has granted their consent, the
location of the vehicle and pedestrian directions are displayed on
their phone. Upon arrival at the vehicle, the smartphone on which the
MINI Sharing App is installed becomes the car key. A Bluetooth
connection between the smartphone and the MINI makes it possible to
open the vehicle doors and start the engine by pressing the start /
stop toggle switch.
If desired, the MINI owner can mark specific individuals as VIP users
in the MINI Sharing App. These individuals can book the vehicle
spontaneously without having to wait for the owner’s consent.
After the guest driver completes their journey, the MINI will
be parked in an area agreed with the owner and locked via smartphone.
The MINI Sharing App generates a report with the travel data required
for billing, and the guest driver is presented with the opportunity to
transfer a payment to the MINI owner via PayPal. The cost calculation
for the MINI Sharing App is based on a flat rate of € 0.30 per
kilometer driven.
Insurance cover for each vehicle can be extended easily, with a
lump sum for each additional guest driver participating in the MINI
Sharing trial. For data protection reasons, the MINI owner can view
the location of their vehicle at any time via the MINI Sharing App –
with the exception of instances where another passenger is traveling
inside the vehicle.
MINI Sharing creates new opportunities to share the MINI
experience with friends and family. Once again, MINI is taking on a
pioneering and innovative role in further advancing urban mobility.
Based on the trial information gathered from the MINI Sharing
Community in Madrid, this innovation could go on to conquer additional
cities worldwide.