Uber Seeks Tech Advantage in Car Rental Search as Demand Spikes for Road Trips


Skift Take

Uber has added a search feature for traditional car rental to its app in a few markets. Travelers will need every tool they can find in the hunt for affordable rental cars in many markets this summer.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said on CNBC earlier this month: "We think we can be the local super app." The company wants to offer more than ride-hailing and food-ordering services to boost how often consumers use its app. So Uber recently took a step to expand its offerings by adding car rentals. The Uber Rent service went live without much fanfare for users based in the U.S. and Australia. Uber is testing it in Britain and France, a spokesperson said. The new feature in the Uber app helps consumers rent a car from national brand car rental chains. But it also includes next-generation brands. Uber's entry into car rental fits into a trend among e-commerce sites like Uber to do more than sell a signature product like ride-hai