Cadillac — on demand Image Credit: Cadillac
Here?s a sign that the connected car revolution is in full swing.
Starting in February, a beta test in New York City will allow a select few (sign up now!) to rent a Cadillac for $1,500 per month. The Book by Cadillac service will expand to other cities eventually. You use an app to select the model you want, then a concierge delivers the car to your doorstep. You don?t need insurance, and if you have any problems on the road, you can swap out the car at any time. (There?s a limit in that you can only swap 18 times per year.)
I?m picturing someone who picks the sporty CTS-V at first, then switches to the larger XT5 to take a few people to a meeting or on a vacation. Flexibility trumps expense, right" I?ll let you decide if this all sounds elitist (a typical rental car would run maybe $400 for a month in my area, although you?ll pay much more for that in a city like San Francisco). What I?m seeing is that these programs ? there?s a similar one called Audi on Demand ? are a sign that using an app on your phone, paying extra for concierge service, and being able to switch to a different car on a whim is at least viable enough for Cadillac to create a platform like this.
And it will eventually be able to incorporate driverless cars. Someone will physically deliver that Cadillac to you now, but at some point in the future, the car will drive itself. Today, no car company can send out an autonomous car, although Tesla does l...