A few years ago, when I started using Zipcar, I thought that even though it was a great idea, the company that comes up with a scheme by which users don’t have to return each car to the point of origin will strike gold. Daimler’s innovation unit, born from a company in dire need of a refresh, may be on track to do just that. This article from the Economist gives an idea of what may be on the horizon from a company driven to innovate to shed some Chrysler-tinted scar tissue and regain some brand equity:
http://www.economist.com/node/17311897?story_id=17311897&CFID=150939055&CFTOKEN=82656494
Another idea noted in the article is a ride share scheme that would allow informal carpooling to take place more easily via social networking. Getting to San Francisco from the East Bay, and vice versa, has been easier for the past 30 years or so with the “casual carpool,” where riders and drivers all line up at predetermined spots around these cities and essentially hitch across the bridge together. This delicate exercise in collectiveness and common courtesy was threatened with bridge toll hikes earlier this year, but an idea that can preserve it may just be coming from Germany soon.