General Motors may be preparing to dive further into the car-subscription segment. The automaker filed to trademark the DriveScription name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on August 27.
GM Authority first discovered the trademark filing on Tuesday, which was filed to the goods and services categories of automotive subscription services, motor vehicle rental services, and motor vehicle sharing services, namely, providing temporary use of motor vehicles.
It's the first we've heard of DriveScription and it could foreshadow another subscription service from the automaker, possibly for the Chevrolet, Buick, and/or GMC brands. GM's Cadillac luxury division rolled out Book by Cadillac in 2017 as one of the industry's first vehicle subscription services. Since then, numerous automaker brands have followed suit. Notably, all of them have been attached to premium brands. Porsche operates Passport, Mercedes-Benz has Collection, BMW rolled out Access, and Volvo introduced Care by Volvo.
Of the services, Volvo is the easiest on the wallet. Starting at $600 per month, subscribers receive a Volvo XC40 crossover with insurance, maintenance, 24/7 roadside assistance, and concierge service. Porsche's service is the most expensive starting at $2,000 per month, but climbing to $3,000 per month to gain access to all 22 of Porsche's vehicles.
Book by Cadillac costs $1,800 per month and gives subscribers access to Platinum and V-Series cars with the ability to swap cars 18 times per year with white-glove delivery.
DriveScription could foreshadow the industry's first subscription service from a mainstream brand, though it's purely speculation. Chevrolet could one day offer the service, or perhaps it will host all GM vehicles. GMA suggests the service could offer a place for used or off-lease vehicles at a discounted rate.
Although subscription services are gaining momentum across the industry, they're hardly available nationwide yet. Many brands have only begun pilot programs in select markets. GM currently operates Book by Cadillac in New York City, Los Angeles, and Dallas.