Uber teams with Lyft-backer GM on car-sharing service

Uber Technologies Inc. is working with General Motors Co. to participate in the automaker’s car-sharing business Maven.

The pilot program will let Uber drivers lease cars from GM’s fleet of cars in San Francisco. The program is somewhat similar to GM’s Express Drive, which allows Lyft Inc. drivers to rent out cars from GM on a short-term basis.

GM invested $500 million in Lyft this year, and President Dan Ammann sits on the board. GM’s investment gave it about a 9 percent stake in the San Francisco-based ride-hailing company, Uber’s largest competitor in the U.S. GM had even held informal discussions about buying Lyft, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg in August.

“Today we announced an additional step for Maven to engage with professional partners across the car-sharing and ride sharing industry,” GM Vice President Julia Steyn said in a statement.

Uber and Lyft use auto-financing programs to attract and retain drivers, a key component of the competitive fight between the two companies. GM will test Maven with Uber over the next 90 days in San Francisco.