FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Automakers Daimler and BMW say they have agreed to merge their transportation services businesses so they can expand their offerings in ride-hailing apps, car-sharing, parking and charging electric cars.

The two companies said Wednesday they aim to become a "leading provider" of new ways to get around cities, where more people will see cars as a service they use when needed.

Those businesses include car-sharing, an area where Stuttgart-based Daimler AG operates its car2go service and Munich-headquartered BMW AG has DriveNow. Customers use a smartphone app to find and unlock cars parked on city streets and use them for short periods when needed. Also part of the deal is Daimler's moovel startup, which aims to allow users to book and pay for trains, cars, taxis and rental bikes.