Cox Automotive Launches Mobility Fleet Services Network

Cox Automotive’s six-month old Mobility Group has jumped into the business of servicing fleets ranging from a single Uber or Lyft driver’s vehicle to full rental car or government agencies stable of hundreds or thousands of vehicles.

The new unit, named Pivet, launches Monday. In an interview in Detroit this weekend, Joe George, President, Cox Automotive Mobility Group and John Kovac, Cox Automotive Chief Marketing Officer, laid out Pivet’s mission and how it plans to serve not only conventional fleets, but those including future autonomous vehicles.

“Pivet is an end-to-end fleet services solution. really pulling in together all the needs of fleets today and fleets of tomorrow--anything that a fleet provider needs to keep their cars up and running,” said Kovac.

“Anything” includes cleaning, detailing, fueling, charging electric vehicles, maintenance, storage, parking and logistics. Pivet plans to provide these services at a combination of stationary “hubs” and through a number of mobile providers that will conduct the operations on-site wherever the vehicles

Jack Kovac, Chief Marketing Officer, Cox AutomotiveED GARSTEN

“This is a network,” explained George. “We want to, and need to establish a network of service providers, cleaning providers that some are owned by Cox Automotive but most likely will not be owned. We partner with dealers, car washes, people that provide the most cost-effective way for a vehicle to be cared for.”

Joe George, President, Cox Automotive Mobility Group.ED GARSTEN

In October, Cox Automotive acquired national car car company RideKleen. Right now it operates in 10 markets servicing fleets operated by Getaround, Zipcar and Enterprise Car Share. George says RideKleen uses a steam-based, environmentally-friendly vehicle cleaning process that uses less than a gallon of water.

Pivet’s first physical location, or hub, is in Atlanta at a converted Manheim auction facility, now called Manheim Metro Atlanta Fleet Hub that will service vehicles for current clients Lyft, Flex Fleet Rental, Hertz and Clutch.

Pivet's Manheim Metro Atlanta HubCOX AUTOMOTIVE

One area becoming more important for fleet operators is servicing vehicles with advanced technologies such as advanced driver-assistance systems or ADAS, and lidar, used in autonomous vehicles and those with driver-assist safety systems, along with electric vehicles, which are sensitive to different climatic conditions.

“We’re going to have locations in all these different markets,” said George. “We’re going to have expertise on how cold climate impacts battery utilizations, how hot climates impact battery utilization. In the ADAS/lidar world, while they’re built to be solid state, some roads aren’t the best. We want to offer the ability to recalibrate to ensure safety for these vehicles.”

In short, as Kovac explained, one of the most vital needs for fleet operators is “up time” for its vehicles, and Pivet’s aim to keep those vehicles “up.”