Avis Budget Group, Inc. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Sign New Connected Car Agreement
January 23, 2020 at 10:06 am EST
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Avis Budget Group, Inc. announces a new agreement with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Group to connect more than 22,000 Fiat vehicles in Avis Budget Group's European fleet. A connected vehicle can allow Avis customers to manage their entire rental experience through the Avis mobile app, including choosing the exact vehicle they want, selecting an upgrade and extending the duration of their rental from their phones. Even returning a rental vehicle is automated with connected technology, allowing customers to drop off their vehicles through a simple tap in the Avis app. In addition, these connected vehicles enable lock and unlock technology, providing a straight-to-vehicle, self-serve option for customers. The connected FCA vehicles will provide valuable telemetry data in real time, including mileage, fuel level and updates on the mechanical condition of the car. Connectivity also enables vehicles to get back on the road faster, giving increased availability for rental customers as Avis Budget Group fleet managers can process information they need more quickly. FCA is providing a ready to use telematics solution that offers a simplified and efficient way for Avis Budget Group to connect vehicles, reducing typical cost and complexity of implementing aftermarket solutions on its own. The partnership follows a recent announcement from Avis Budget Group as it surpassed the 200,000 connected car threshold globally. Its partnership with FCA now means that an additional 22,000 Fiat vehicles in the Avis Budget Group fleet will be connected, significantly contributing towards its goal of a fully connected global fleet.
Avis Budget Group, Inc. is a provider of mobility solutions through its three brands, Avis, Budget and Zipcar, as well as several other brands. Its brands offer a range of options, from car and truck rental to car sharing. Its segments include Americas and International. The Americas segment consists primarily of vehicle rental operations in North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean, and operates a car sharing business in these markets. The International segment consists of vehicle rental operations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australasia, and operates a car sharing business in these markets. The Avis brand provides vehicle rental and other mobility solutions at price points generally above non-branded and value-branded vehicle rental companies and serves the premium commercial and leisure segments of the travel industry. Its other brands include Payless, Maggiore and Morini Rent, FranceCars, Apex, Turiscar and ACL Hire and McNicoll Hire.