Change could make car ownership obsolete: Manufacturers to charge customers fee to access vehicles

The change that could make car ownership obsolete: Manufacturers to charge customers a fee to access a range of vehicles – and the scheme will hit Australia sooner than you think

Australian motorists could soon pay manufacturers a monthly fee to access many vehicles instead of buying a single car outright. 

The so-called ‘Spotification’ system, under which customers can pay a monthly subscription to access a range of vehicles in the same way music fans pay to access many artists on services like Spotify, could be hitting Australian shores soon, according to an expert. 

Royal Automobile Club of Queensland’s head of public policy, Dr Rebecca Michael, has told parliament that the transport technology is already popular overseas.

Royal Automobile Club of Queensland’s head of public police, Dr Rebecca Michael, told parliament that the transport technology is already popular overseas

'When you look at the running costs of vehicles ... it doesn't make sense to actually own a vehicle,' Dr Michael told parliament 

‘When you look at the running costs of vehicles … it doesn’t make sense to actually own a vehicle,’ Dr Michael told parliament 

‘It’s a shift from ownership to access,’ Dr Michael said on Monday.

‘When you look at the running costs of vehicles, particularly in those more densely populated systems overseas in Europe that have good-quality public transport, it doesn’t make financial sense to actually own a vehicle – however, you might want to access one for a weekend trip.’

Customers will be able to pay a monthly subscription directly to the manufacturer to access a range of vehicles with all costs covered. 

Dr Michael said the scheme is an important shift for motorists who would rather not incur the extra costs of owning a car.  

Speaking to The Courier Mail, Dr Michael said luxury manufactures such as Mercedes, BMW and Porsche, are already running the Spotify-like system overseas.

She predicts that the service will be introduced to Australia at ‘any time now’.  

Customers will be able to pay a monthly subscription directly to the manufacturer to access a range of vehicles with all costs covered

Customers will be able to pay a monthly subscription directly to the manufacturer to access a range of vehicles with all costs covered

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