Business

SideCar, an app for hitchhiking

Maybe there’s such a thing as a free ride, in the hi-tech age—thanks to a new app.

Digital hitchhiking

Shutterstock Sidecar; Photo Illustration by Sarah MacKinnon

We’ve all been told never to accept rides from strangers, but SideCar—a San Francisco-based start-up—is hoping people will forget that advice. Using a smartphone app, its members can track down local drivers with some extra space in their cars, and flag them down for a lift. (All drivers are licensed, insured, and have passed background checks.) Any payment is voluntary, although a “community average” price is suggested. The newly launched ride-sharing app will soon branch out to other cities, too.

SideCar, which is drawing comparisons to Airbnb (a blockbuster service that lets people crash in others’ homes), is tapping into a trend: the smartphone generation is less interested in owning a car than ever. Americans aged 18 to 34 bought almost 30 per cent fewer new cars in 2011 compared to 2007, notes a recent report by Lacey Plache, chief economist at Edmunds.com. Car-sharing and ride-sharing services are proliferating, and car manufacturers are fretting over the trend.

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: