Whether it’s sitting in stop-and-go traffic while running errands, standing in a herd of people in an airport security line, or just feeling the low-grade anxiety that comes with limiting mileage in the hope of avoiding surcharges on a leased car, the travel experience often amounts to one big headache. Traditionally, carmakers haven?t cared one whit. As long as customers kept up with their payments on the cars, manufacturers were content to ignore broader problems. But that?s starting to change, because today’s customers are shopping for more than a piece of hardware?they want solutions for their transportation needs.
In an age when consumers are accustomed to short-term cellphone contracts and swapping out their devices whenever another shiny object grabs their attention, automakers are getting more creative with their lease offerings while simultaneously trying to soothe the hassles of daily travel. The latest example comes from Lincoln, which unveiled several new services and expanded a previous one in an announcement at the Los Angeles auto show. The brand’s stated intention is to make things easier for harried luxury-car owners. The first is a vehicle-subscription service, set to launch in California sometime in 2018. It will allow customers flexible month-to-month leases that let them hop in and out of vehicles far more often than if they were tethered to a years-long contract.
While acknowledging that long-term leases remain a major part of Linc...