BMW to launch pay-as-you-go car share scheme to rival Boris Bikes in London on Thursday
BMW will bring its pay-as-you-go car sharing scheme to London this week, pitting it against the capital's famous Boris Bikes.
The German manufacturer will announce the launch of its DriveNow scheme in London on Thursday, according to the Financial Times.
It's a car sharing service that requires users to register online for a small fee, before they can pick up cars from anywhere across London.
Charges are then calculated on a pay-per-minute basis and customers can choose from vehicles such as the Mini and the electric i3. At the end of a journey users are able to leave vehicles anywhere in the designated business area.
This means it could become a competitor of the city's hugely successful Boris Bike scheme, named after the London mayor, which lets Londoners pick up and leave bikes at a variety of points across the capital.
It will also pose a challenge to another car sharing service Zipcar, which targets people living in the inner city who only need a car occasionally.
The service lets user book vehicles online for one hour upwards. They unlock it through a phone app or membership card and return it to the parking space before their time is up.
Companies are increasingly clamouring to take advantage of London's burgeoning sharing economy.
Earlier this year black cab drivers brought some of the city's street to a standstill when they protested over the introduction of Uber, an app that lets users call a cab whenever they want.
Plans have also been announced to remove laws controlling short-term rentals, opening up the door for Airbnb and co to expand in the capital.