Verizon Wireless is investing heavily in services that go outside the realm of typical wireless service provider. The nation’s largest carrier sees the value in their huge customer base and their ability to help their customers onboard into smartphones. Verizon is hoping that once a customer has a smartphone on their network, that they’ll be able to help them by providing even more services.

Verizon has a nice portfolio of content based services like partnerships with the NFL and other sporting organizations. Now they’re ramping up their efforts to be part of the app economy, but not just by throwing out a handful of white labeled apps, they are looking to create meaningful products that people will actually use.

With that in mind VentureBeat reports that at the ITS World Congress in Detroit Monday, Verizon Wireless showed off Auto Share, an app that turns any car into a ride sharing car like Zipcar.

Using the Verizon AutoShare app a customer would scan a QR Code found on an AutoShare car’s windshield. That QR code is validated and then the smartphone receives a signal that has the capability of unlocking the vehicle. Inside a key fob tat would be used to start the actual engine would be found and the user would be on their way.

But it was obvious to people watching the AutoShare announcement, that Verizon and others could use this technology to rent anything from cars to boats, trucks, lawn equipment and more. AutoShare technology could revolutionize the moving van rental industry. It could even be used to unlock hotel room doors, conference rooms or show houses. The possibilities are limitless.

“That’s precisely our intention,” Verizon Associate Director of Connected Solutions Paul Bedard told VentureBeat.

“This is just our entrée toward developing a platform for a sharing economy,” he said, where users can just walk up to any kind of shared resource and access it through Verizon.

Check out an AutoShare video here.