Wards Auto, March 18, 2019 — A sideline of Joe George’s job as president of Cox Automotive’s Mobility Solutions unit is to reassure some skittish people that vehicle subscription programs and other new-age mobility services won’t doom the auto industry as we know it.
“Mobility is an explosive word” in today’s changing transportation world, says George. It’s not the only hot-button term. “‘Subscription’ has turned into a highly charged word, too,” he says.
Many frets about where this is all headed come from auto industry people. They fear ride-sharing, ride-hailing, subscription services and the like could end up gutting vehicle sales.
Although some dealers worry about that, others have signed up for subscription services such as Cox Automotive’s Clutch. It is a platform that uses dealer inventories (including used and former demo units). Participating consumers can swap in and out of different types of vehicles for short durations.
