SAN DIEGO--December 10, 2012: At the Content and Apps for Automotive Conference hosted by Telematics Update in San Diego, MyCityWay CEO Puneet Mehta announced a partnership with BMW's DriveNow car sharing program that will integrate the company's location-based, situationally-aware mobile platform into the automaker's fleet of vehicles in San Francisco. Designed to help users explore, enjoy and navigate major cities, MyCityWay will be installed in each of the 70 DriveNow BMW ActiveE electric vehicles.
“What MyCityWay provides through DriveNow is the ability to connect the dots on their daily needs across various verticals, access to real-time information and a personalized view of a driver's surroundings -- all of which are key to the consumer experience.”
The MyCityWay integration will focus on providing situationally-aware local discovery and relevant information based on location, needs and other real-time factors. The service will act as a one-stop shop to provide information including weather, traffic, parking, nearby events, dining and nightlife options, public transit updates, etc. The benefit of having these assets brought together under one umbrella and interacting with each other is that users, for example, will not only be able to search for a nearby restaurant, but then also find directions, check traffic patterns and live traffic cameras, and locate available street or garage parking nearby.
"The telematics industry is moving from a car-centric model to a user-centric model," said Mehta. "What MyCityWay provides through DriveNow is the ability to connect the dots on their daily needs across various verticals, access to real-time information and a personalized view of a driver's surroundings -- all of which are key to the consumer experience."
"DriveNow's partnership with MyCityWay dovetails perfectly with BMW's overarching goal to become the leading provider of premium mobility services," said Rich Steinberg, CEO of DriveNow. "The localized services and connectivity provided by MyCityWay will serve to enhance the driver experience for our customers and make finding their way around San Francisco easier and more enjoyable."
DriveNow is a premium car sharing service launched by BMW is San Francisco last summer. The DriveNow fleet currently consists of 70 fully-electric ActiveE vehicles located at ten DriveNow stations around the San Francisco Bay Area, including hubs serving the Silicon Valley, SFO and Oakland International Airports. DriveNow stations in SF are close to many BART, MUNI and bike-sharing stations. After registering online or in person at one of the stations, DriveNow members can locate and book available cars using the DriveNow web site or mobile app, and pick up and return the car to the same -- or any other -- DriveNow Station.
