For the first time, MINI is launching a new service to enable MINI owners to share 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.
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.
For more information, visit BMW Group’s website.
Source: MBW Group
Photo credits: BMW
