Daimler Benz is starting a car-sharing service in America. After launching it in the Germany town of Ulm late March, Benz hopes to strike a nail in the Texan capital of Austin.

The program is called Car2go and is centered about the SmartCar.

The New York Times describes the eccentric service:

Specifically, the Austin service will offer drivers shared access to 200 Smart Fortwos 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To confirm a car’s availability, customers hold a member card over a card reader on the car’s windshield. If the car is available, the door will unlock. The driver can then access the keys from the glove compartment using a PIN. If the car is not available, the customer will be directed to the nearest available Car2go. The service also lets you prebook your vehicle and locate a car by phone or the Web.

When you’re done using Car2go, you can park at any legal parking spot or at Car2go-only parking spaces throughout the city. Cars are locked by holding up the Car2go member card to the reader. Daimler’s goal is to have a Car2go car available within a three-minute walk.

Though prices in the United States have not be announced, the Ulm Car2go program costs 0.19 euros (about 25 cents) a minute. Drivers are charged 9.90 euros ($13.25) an hour after the first hour of use. Flat day rates of 49 euros ($65.60) are also available. These prices include fuel costs. (A service team helps ensure that cars are properly fueled and maintained.) Membership is free.

Here’s what I think. This sounds really cool and maybe some environmentalist hippie types will be very enthusiastic for it, but something like this will never catch on in America.

America’s like their space and property like no other people. Thomas Jefferson was thinking about property when he wrote “the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence. American’s do not kiss in greetings like the French and when we form lines we give each other a decent amount of elbow space.

And Americans like cars, and the bigger the better. More leg room and more cup-holders. The idea that Americans are going to share a small car is far-fetched.

Austin is a liberal college-town so the Car2go may get some mileage [no pun intended], but this an idea better suited for Europeans.