Sharing Economy

I have been watching the growth of Uber with glee. As a user of public transport, Uber and ZipCar, I have managed to not own a car for the last 6 years. When I have been in South Africa, this hasn't worked and I have had to rent a car more long term. I love driving. I am a little wary of muppets on the road, but traffic free travel can be one of life's great pleasures. But it is a massive waste of resources. Parked cars clutter the roads. Buildings become storehouses for cars that are only used briefly for a commute. So the idea of a sharing economy fascinates me. If we get to the stage where we can pick up a car and drive it to where we need to go, and someone takes it from there, just like Borris Bikes, we can dramatically reduce the cost of travel and the number of cars needed. Add driverless technology and we are really talking. But is this really a sharing economy? It is a renting economy. I still like it, but nothing in Uber, Zipcar, Airbnb etc. is shared. It is closer though. How would a sharing economy work? The basis of sharing is trust and pooling of resources. Things do work better with a dash of trust. I love the way I can scan my own goods at some shops in London as I put them in the trolley, then just swipe my card and go. A great example of trust. Is there some way that technology can help create a reputation we really trust that scales beyond a 1-1 relationship? Imagine a true sharing economy where you could catch a ride with a fellow traveller, stay in someone's home in any city in the world, and borrow a car? What if we could remove (reduce close to zero) the cost of travel and accommodation through sharing? If we were free to roam. Exciting times.