So you’ve successfully reduced your car usage, and now you have this hunk of metal sitting around outside your house, like a garden gnome that needs annual emissions inspections. Why not share it, and maybe make some money? Car-sharing service Getaround has unveiled a kit that will allow people to offer their cars for short-term rental to friends and neighbors.
The kit is an easy-to-install GPS/WiFi/keyless entry doohickey that, along with Getaround’s iPhone app, makes it simple to arrange reservations, payments, and pickups. Your car still lives with you and everything, but during its idle time — 22 hours a day for the average vehicle! — it can help some carless soul schlep to IKEA.
Aside from the environmental benefits of smashing the cartriarchy, this can actually be a moneymaker for owners and borrowers alike: Reportedly, owners can make $2,000 a year for every hour their car is rented, and renters can save $1,800 a year by opting for car-sharing over car ownership.
