ALD Automotive to provide car sharing services through Whim

ALD Automotive has signed a pilot agreement with MaaS Global, an international mobility operator based in Finland, to provide car sharing services through Whim, the company’s Mobility as a Service (MaaS) app, in Helsinki.

Launched in 2016, the app combines travel options from different transport providers through a single mobile service, removing the hassle of travel planning and one-off payments.

Available through a monthly financial package, subscribers use the app to determine the best transport option for every journey they take – whether it’s a taxi, public transport, a car service or a bike share for both professional or personal usage.

Starting in July, selected Whim users will thus have access to a dedicated pool of ALD Automotive car sharing vehicles in the city of Helsinki.

With the mobility sector evolving rapidly with new trends, constraints and technologies, car sharing will progressively become an important option for consumers who need a flexible mobility offering while optimising their total cost of mobility. This agreement fully supports ALD Automotive’s distribution strategy to partner up with innovative partners in order to broaden the company’s offering and extend the reach of its services, it said.

“With the mobility sector set to evolve considerably in the coming years, MaaS Global was a natural partner for ALD Automotive to explore new channels for offering our services,” explained John Saffrett, chief operating officer at ALD.

“Our ambition is to be at the forefront of changes in mobility and partnering up with MaaS Global will enable us to benefit from the company’s experience and expertise in the field of Mobility as a Service while broadening our presence in the consumer market.”

Jarkko Jaakkola, area manager for Finland at MaaS Global, added: "ALD Automotive has really shown its innovative approach by being part of new mobility solutions, which is why they are a very good partner for us with significant global coverage.

“With this co-operation, our customers will have access to shared cars and thus have a true alternative to attain the same level of freedom as owning a car. This means having the benefits of using a car without any of the commitments that the car ownership brings, which is MaaS Global’s ultimate target."