Pay as you drive: Car-on-demand soon

Car2Go lets you pay per minute and drive any vehicle of your choice

By
  • VM Sathish
Published

Car-on-demand is a new concept launched by Car2Go, a car-sharing company owned by Daimler. (SUPPLIED)

How about walking to a parking lot, choosing a car, driving to your destination, paying for the time used via credit cards, and going about your business only to return and pick up another car of your choice to drive back? No hassles of loan payments, insurance, maintenance and services involved. It's as convenient as using a mobile phone!

Car-on-demand is a new concept launched by Car2Go, a car-sharing company and a fully owned subsidiary of carmaker Daimler, offering car rental services for as short as a few minutes or even a couple of hours. The company is looking to launch here in the UAE as soon as possible.

In fact, the new service is akin to using your mobile phones, where you pay for talk time. Here you pay for the 'drive time'.
 
Drivers only need to be registered with the company and possess a membership card to avail the service, the official told Emirates24|7.

Members can drive any car by just swiping the membership card (in the provided slot on the dashboard), use the vehicle for a few minutes or hours, pay for the time used and leave the car in another parking lot within the specified area of the company’s operation, explained the official.

At any given time a few hundred Car2Go vehicles will be available in the operational areas. Members who drive around need not specify a return time or return location. Charges will be billed on minutes, which include costs of fuel, parking, insurance and maintenance.

car2Go launched a pilot programme in Austin, Texas with 200 vehicles and the concept has been expanded to other North American cities.

Membership can be availed online. The company verifies personal details including validity of driving licence before issuing membership cards embedded with RFID chips.

The company is showcasing its eco-friendly vehicles at the on-going UITP exhibition at the Dubai World Trade Centre. "We are launching it globally here at the Dubai exhibition,” said the company official and added that the services will be brought to the region, but they are looking at Germany and North America first.

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Comments

  • Sanwil 14 April 2011 08:33 0 0
    If it is economical. This is a great solution, that RTA should promote. Because of the extreme heat in the UAE, most of the people hesitate to take the metro, due to connectivity hassles.
  • Miloo 13 April 2011 19:43 0 0
    Good idea only if the prices are appropriate.
  • Hamayoon Mubtakir 13 April 2011 12:21 0 0
    A wonderful & inspiring idea which is hassle free (i.e. insurance, parking, maintenance, etc).
  • Suhail 12 April 2011 21:16 0 0
    If it is in the UAE beware of smart car thieves, who have duped n number of banks and auto finance companies. They have smartly overcome all the restrictions imposed on leased vehicles and drove off the board, through Oman-UAE boarder....so be alert too..
  • Alman 12 April 2011 14:49 0 0
    I think this concept is already in use in London. I have seen a video on this.
  • Pratima 12 April 2011 14:43 0 0
    I like this idea. This will be a serious option to people who want to drive cars for certain instances, and not bother about taking huge loans and liabilities related to it. It will reduce traffic issues, also having a positive side-effect on environment. Only that the cars should be maintained by rental company in top condition for safety and environmental aspects.
  • Asim 12 April 2011 14:28 0 0
    In most Western countries you can take a car out on rent and then park it anywhere within the city and leave it there. The rent-a-car company themselves track the car through GPS and pick it up again. The idea that you have to drop the car back to a parking lot will cause a failure in this being attractive. Otherwise, it's pretty smart, so they should consider doing this. Just keep one team that goes around the city keep picking cars back - track them through GPS.
  • Michael 12 April 2011 11:14 0 0
    It is a good idea. business model!who will take care of the fleet?
  • Al Hammadi 12 April 2011 10:33 0 0
    The only problem with this concept is that the cars have to be parked in designated parking lots of the company. Therefore, clients would need to rely on public transport to take them to their end destination.
  • CarsLover 12 April 2011 09:17 0 0
    why not in UK first?
  • simon 12 April 2011 08:40 0 0
    what a fantastic idea

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