French automaker Groupe PSA has chosen Seattle for the launch of its new mobility platform Free2Move, a smartphone-based mobility aggregation platform to meet changing customer demands.
With the app, Free2Move allows users in Seattle to compare the location, characteristics and operating costs of available transportation options, including offerings from Car2Go, Zipcar then TravelCar. Free2Move will also be adding several bike sharing services over the next 60-days, including Ofo Bike, Lime Bike and Spin Bike.
The service is positioned to help solve challenges from contemporary trends such as urbanization and digitalization.
“The decision to launch a service that helps people move around in the most efficient way underscores our commitment to the future of Groupe PSA,” said Groupe PSA’s North America President and CEO, Larry Dominique.
“As mobility services evolve and innovate based on the way people think about and consume mobility, bringing Free2Move stateside provides us with a unique way to address consumer demands, as well as a flexible platform to roll out future products.”
With Free2Move, consumers can schedule or immediately access the transportation of their choice for a period ranging from a few minutes to several days. The service has rapidly expanded throughout Europe and is currently available in 7 countries in France, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Austria and Sweden, with 400,000 customers and some thirty operators. The launch in the U.S. represents the latest step in Groupe PSA’s “Push to Pass” global growth initiative, unveiled in April, 2016.
“We’re pleased to announce today that we will begin our North American operations in Seattle,” said Groupe PSA Senior Vice President of Mobility, Brigitte Courtehoux. “As we begin to add more providers and roll out to new cities, Free2Move will enrich the lives of Americans who embrace innovative, non-traditional forms of transportation.”
With its functionality and consumer ease-of-use, Free2Move will add to numerous efforts supporting The City of Seattle’s efforts to develop efficient mobility. On hand for the launch of Free2Move was Scott Kubly, the director of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) who discussed the City’s recent “New Mobility Playbook.”
