Now, an iPhone app to rent out your car

The new app by Getaround, a car-sharing service provider in the US, enables car owners to "un-idle" their cars and offset the cost of vehicle ownership by sharing it with others.

PTI | May 30, 2011



Researchers have developed a new iPhone application which they say can allow you to share your car with others and potentially generate some good rental income.

The new app by Getaround, a car-sharing service provider in the US, enables car owners to "un-idle" their cars and offset the cost of vehicle ownership by sharing it with others.

For the service to work, users just need to install a Getaround Carkit in their vehicle that combines GPS, Wi-Fi and keyless remote technology.

The app then allows them to carry out entire transactions, including reserving, paying for and unlocking cars, using nothing but their iPhone, LiveScience reported.

"Getaround frees people from the burden of car ownership by turning an idle, costly, and underutilized asset into something that can generate revenue, and the Getaround Carkit and smartphone technology make car-sharing safe and accessible to everyone," Getaround founder and CEO Sam Zaid said in a statement.

To help with safety, Getaround allows car owners maintain complete control over their cars by setting the pricing and availability.

Owners also have the option to approve each rental request individually. They can also monitor and track the vehicle to make sure the vehicle is being used properly, the company said.

In addition, cars are covered by premium insurance provided by Getaround and Berkshire Hathaway, so if something goes wrong, the insurance will cover it.

Comments

 

Other News

Maharashtra adopts hybrid model for Census 2026 data collection

The government has initiated preparations for Census 2026 in Maharashtra, introducing a hybrid approach that combines optional self-enumeration with comprehensive door-to-door data collection to ensure complete coverage across the state.   According to senior officials, the Self-

What the nine Indian Nobel winners have in common

A Touch Of Genius: The Wisdom of India’s Nobel Laureates Edited by Rudrangshu Mukherjee Aleph Books, Rs 1499, 848 pages  

Income Tax dept holds Ghatkopar Outreach on new IT Act

The Income Tax Department organised an outreach programme in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, to raise awareness about the key features of the Income Tax Act, 2025, effective April 1, 2026. The initiative is part of a nationwide effort to promote taxpayer awareness, simplify compliance, and strengthen a transparent, eff

Making AI work where governance is closest to people

India’s next governance leap may not solely come from digitisation. It will come from making public systems more intelligent, more adaptive, and more responsive to the dynamics at the grassroots. That opportunity is especially significant at the panchayat level, where governance is not an abstract po

Borrowing troubles: How small loans are quietly trapping youth

A silent crisis is playing out in the pocket of young India, not in stock markets or government treasuries, but in smartphones of college students and first-jobbers who clicked on the Apply Now button without reading the small print.  A decade ago, to take a loan, you had to do some paperwor

A 19th-century pilgrim’s progress

The Travels of a Sadhu in the Himalayas By Jaladhar Sen (Translated by Somdatta Mandal) Speaking Tiger Books, 259 pages, ₹499.00  


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter