by Andre Haddad
posted on June 12, 2018
Unlocking the future of mobility
Today, we’re thrilled to announce Turo Go, an exciting new feature that empowers Turo guests to book and unlock cars instantly via the Turo app, bringing unprecedented access to the rich selection of cars available on the Turo marketplace.
As always, our community continues to be our chief source of product inspiration. Turo hosts have matured in a variety of ways over the years — they organically galvanized some of our most valuable product features, including delivery and instantly bookable cars — to improve their own experience as well as those of their guests. Now, they’re building momentum using a variety of co-hosting strategies, remote access technology, and much more.
Observing both our hosting trends and the auto industry’s evolutionary direction — consumers today want instant mobility options at their fingertips — we’re proud to announce Turo Go.
What is Turo Go?
Turo Go is an integrated experience where guests will locate, book, and unlock instantly accessible cars directly from their Turo app. Anytime you need to jump in the driver’s seat, you can search for Turo Go cars and find an instantly available option near you, accessible right from your phone.
In the near term (this fall), we’ll be supplying our host community in select markets the option to install a device in their vehicle that will connect to the Turo app directly, unlocking and providing instant access to the vehicle after the guest goes through self check-in.
In addition to the easy trip management that remote unlock technology affords hosts, the device will also give hosts a fresh, intelligent look inside their cars’ data. Hosts will be able to automatically track mileage and geolocate their cars, for instance. Ultimately they’ll have more insight into their cars, streamlining the experience of owning and maintaining it, as well as providing a safer, more transparent car sharing experience for both themselves and their guests.
In the not-too-distant future, we are working towards an even broader and more sweeping connectivity opportunity, where Turo Go devices will monitor maintenance events and fuel or charge level, and the Turo app will integrate directly to the connected systems in which manufacturers are currently investing heavily. Forward-thinking car manufacturers, like Turo investor Daimler, are embedding remote access systems directly into their base models. “We’re thrilled to be working with Turo on a remote access solution to support owners of Mercedes-Benz vehicles to easily share their cars,” said Joerg Lamparter, Head of Mobility Services at Daimler Financial Services. In the coming months we’re excited to start integrating directly with these connected vehicles, so they’re “Turo-ready”, right off the lot.
Giving the people what they want
Consumers want mobility and connectivity, and Turo hosts want options. While some hosts value the in-person experience of handing over their keys to their guests, many hosts also lead busy lives — forging their careers, spending time with their families, building their lives — and would benefit tremendously from the option to share their cars with guests instantly. A one-size-fits-all check-in solution doesn’t work for everyone, so we’re taking big steps to alleviate this pain point for hosts.
Additionally, the entire automotive industry is abuzz with discussions around the future of mobility, from electrification to autonomy, sharing to connectivity. These groundswell ideas have transformed substantially from theory to reality in the last couple years, and while Turo is already the leader in car sharing, we are also perfectly positioned to accelerate these other forces, starting first with connectivity.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Turo on a remote access solution to support owners of Mercedes-Benz vehicles to easily share their cars,” said Joerg Lamparter, Head of Mobility Services at Daimler Financial Services.
Turo Go: Unlocking new possibilities for hosts
To support the diverse needs of Turo hosts — as well as instant mobility-hungry guests — we’re committed to offering a remote unlocking device to our hosts in select markets this fall.
And, starting today, we’re opening up an early-access waitlist for hosts to get Turo Go devices installed in their cars as soon as they’re available in their cities. Hosts can sign up now to get in on the ground floor of this fresh opportunity to create an even easier and more convenient hosting experience.
A fresh look at the future of mobility
Turo Go brings instant mobility into the palms of guests, and an effortless, savvier experience for busy hosts whose cars are readily available to share. Forging community and creating a thriving car sharing ecosystem is in our DNA, and we’re incredibly excited to augment the car sharing experience with connected car technology. Investing in connectivity and instant mobility access today will pave the way for the autonomous vehicle future of tomorrow. We envision a world where you can easily access a car any time, anywhere — an endlessly mobile world effortlessly fueled by our vibrant and intrepid community of trusted Turo hosts.
Sign up now for early access to Turo Go, and, as always, thank you to our community for your constant support, dedication, and outstanding innovation that continues to fuel our business. We couldn’t do it without you.
Andre Haddad
Andre is the Turo CEO and a true car enthusiast. After many years in the consumer web space, he combines his passion for cars, technology, and the environment each day at Turo as he works to put the world’s one billion cars to better use.
