ObjectiveThis master’s thesis aims to provide a better understanding of the factors that lead people to use carsharing services by looking at German and Chinese consumers.Beyond that,the mobility behavior and preferences of both consumer groups are examined and compared so as to derive strategic recommendations for German car manufacturers concerning their carsharing service in China.BackgroundOver decades,innovation in the automotive industry was mostly limited to incremental performance improvements such as more powerful,fuel-efficient engines,higher driving comfort or more environmental friendly vehicles.Digitalization,that does not only entail the digitization of former analog business activities to digital,has the potential to disrupt the entire industry questioning the role of the main incumbent players.Future digital mobility is determined by five dimensions: electrified,autonomous,shared,connected and yearly-updated.Each of these dimensions is revolutionary to the auto industry;a combination of all of them is essential to create smart mobility solutions.The shift from owning to sharing probably is the most threatening for the traditional business model of car manufacturers.The sharing economy is phenomenon that started around 2010.Theoretical FrameworkThe theoretical framework of this thesis is based on a theoretical model that seeks to address the factors leading people to participate in the sharing economy,following a Social Exchange Theory approach of subjective costbenefit analysis.The model is modified and adapted to the specifics of B2C（business-to-customer）carsharing services on which basis hypotheses are then derived.ResultsThe survey results show a significant relation between four aspects: the reputation of carsharing providers,the economic benefit gained from carsharing,the intention to participate,and the perceived risk of carsharing.For Chinese consumers,there are also epistemic reasons and motives that affect their intention to use carsharing,i.e.novelty-and variety-seeking.Moreover,while Germans tend to put more importance on fuel-efficiency and environmentally friendly means of transportation,Chinese consumers prioritize driving comfort,model variety and connected cars.ImplicationsDespite some limitations of the theoretical model,this thesis provides a good basis for further research on motives for using carsharing services.German automakers have to adapt their carsharing services to appeal to Chinese consumers’ requirements.As China is in need of smart mobility solutions,carsharing could be a vital part of shaping future mobility.