Hertz and Avis Prep for Future With Self-Driving Car Partnerships
Photo Credit: Rental car companies are preparing for the future by partnering with self-driving car pioneers. Pictured is a Waymo minivan in a promotional photo. Avis is providing fleet management services for Waymo's vehicles. Facebook / Waymo
Skift Take
Car rental giants are looking to the future, with the goal of handling logistics for whatever company ends up winning the automated car arms race. If you can't beat them, join them.
Car rental companies have had a rough couple years. The popularity of ridesharing has led to a decline in car rentals, and the industry has struggled to adapt. Recently, this has taken the form of companies reducing the size of their fleets to compensate for decreased demand.
Hertz Global Holdings and Avis Budget Group held their second quarter 2017 earnings calls in early August, detailing an emerging focus on fleet management services with the promise of self-driving vehicles entering the mainstream.
Hertz has partnered with Apple to provide the tech giant with cars to test its automated driving technology through its Donlen fleet leasing and management division, while Avis has entered a partnership with Alphabet's Waymo division to provide similar services.
The true promise of these partnerships, however, will likely appear sometime in the next decade.
