Cadillac suspends Book by Cadillac car-sharing service

Cadillac hints the program isn't going away for good.

Cadillac has suspended the Book by Cadillac car-sharing service it launched in New York City in 2017. The General Motors-owned automaker was the first to try applying a Netflix-like business model to the world of luxury cars in the United States.

"Cadillac will temporarily pause the Book by Cadillac program. Book by Cadillac launched as a pilot program, providing the brand with valuable insights and contributing to Cadillac's ongoing commitment in identifying new and innovative luxury experiences for its customers. The brand will use these insights to make adjustments to the Book by Cadillac strategy moving forward. Additional details will be made available at a later date," a company spokesperson told Motor Authority in a statement.

Sources familiar with the automaker's plans told the Wall Street Journal the program is winding down because it was tedious and time-consuming to operate. The cars are shared so they're being used more often than a personal car and require more maintenance. Each Cadillac also needs to be cleaned before getting delivered to the next driver.

The firm charged $1,800 a month for the program, which let members change cars 18 times a year. It was only available in New York City; Cadillac considered expanding it to other cities but it never did. However, car-sharing programs are becoming increasingly popular in the United States, especially among luxury car brands, and Cadillac's statement suggests Book isn't going away for good.

Photo by Ronan Glon.