The benefits of connected cars and their implications for the car rental and wider automotive industries have come under focus in a new report from Avis Car Rental. 

The Avis report says the connected car “has the potential to transform the car rental experience of the future”

Available to download for free, the publication on the ‘The Evolution of the Connected Car’ has been developed in partnership with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Volvo Cars, Vodafone and the BVRLA.

In line with predictions that one in five passenger vehicles will be connected by 2019, the report sees experts cover a number of key topics including:

• Nina Bell of Avis Budget Group on telematics and the concept of mobility, and also the car rental experience of the future
• Vodafone’s Dr Nicolaus Gollwitzer on the benefits that connected cars will bring and the roles that telecoms firms, car makers and others could play in the future
• Anders Eugensson of Volvo on the benefits of autonomous vehicles and how manufacturers should take liability for their vehicles
• Carlo Gagliardi of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) on future challenges and opportunities posed by the connected car
• Jay Parmar of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) on the specific concerns of rental firms and fleet operators – including data usage and security, telematics for fleets and the shift towards mobility as a service

Nina Bell, managing director for the northern EMEA Region at Avis, said: “For years, the car rental process hasn’t changed dramatically. Most customers go to a counter, sign paperwork, collect keys and head to their vehicle. Connected car technology has the potential to change not only the car rental experience but the entire automotive industry, as well as business models within other sectors. This report explores this evolution and what it means for us all.”