Leading vehicle and driving data business, IMS, has teamed up with Turo, the world’s largest car sharing marketplace, to offer a telematics-based vehicle security package to car owners using its platform.
Now, vehicle owners (called hosts) who work with Turo can get IMS’ class-leading telematics hardware professionally installed in their vehicles, with security specialists W4G providing ongoing monitoring and theft recovery services.
Leon Hurst, CEO of Mobility Solutions for IMS, said the service is offered via a pre-paid annual subscription, giving owners access to the kind of sophisticated asset tracking service utilised by many of Europe’s leading car rental and insurance companies. He explained that if a host has any reason to suspect their vehicle is at risk, they can notify Turo customer support and W4G will be alerted immediately to take remedial action.
Leon predicted that providing the latest in vehicle security technology will help create further growth for Turo in the UK. “The principle behind peer-to-peer car sharing is just like Airbnb, but for cars instead of houses. Turo users (guests) can rent anything from a Lamborghini to a Fiat 500 through the platform, and owners (hosts) right across the spectrum can get extra peace of mind and confidence from knowing that their vehicle benefits from professional protection against theft or misuse.
“People in the UK have taken to Airbnb like ducks to water, but they have seemingly been a little more reserved when it comes to loaning out their cars. We expect that the access to anti-theft technology through Turo will help allay any remaining concerns and unlock the potential for owners of under-utilised vehicles to earn significant extra income.”
According to Turo, top hosts in the UK make £570 per month from the scheme, and the company is predicting a surge of interest this year, thanks to the Covid vaccination rollout and the huge number of people set to staycation in the UK, with overseas travel likely to remain widely prohibited.
Xavier Collins, UK Director at Turo, said “We are excited for a great British summer and powering people’s staycations after a very challenging year. Partnerships such as this are key to bringing additional security for our hosts and I’m excited to work with IMS and W4G; it will make it even easier for hosts to share their vehicles with total confidence.”
Leon said that while vehicle security was the motivation behind the Turo partnership, other mobility operators are already using connected technologies in various forms to determine how cars are being driven, too.
More information on IMS Vehicle Security Solution at http://ims.tech/security/.
More information on Turo at https://turo.com/gb/en
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