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Uber Carshare

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Uber Carshare
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryTransportation
Founded2012; 12 years ago (2012), in Sydney, NSW, Australia
FounderWill Davies, David Trumbull, and Chloe Iliffe
HeadquartersSydney, NSW, Australia
Area served
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Tasmania, Canberra, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Newcastle
Key people
Will Davies (Founder & CEO) & , Dave Trumbull (Founder & CTO), Chloe Iliffe (Founder), Merryn Clancy (COO)
ServicesPeer-to-peer carsharing
ParentUber
Websitewww.ubercarshare.com

Uber Carshare is an Australian company that facilitates peer-to-peer car rental, a system by which individuals may rent privately owned vehicles[1] on an hourly or daily basis to other registered users of the service.[2][3][4] Established in 2012 as Car Next Door,[5] it currently operates in all Australian capital cities as well as the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Newcastle.[6][7][8]

The founders appeared on season 2 of the Australian Shark Tank TV show in 2016 and secured an investment from 'shark' Steve Baxter.[9] The startup also secured a A$2.5 million investment from Caltex Australia (later Ampol) the same year.[10]

Hyundai invested in the company in 2019,[11] and listed a number of its electric Ioniq vehicles for sharing through the platform.

On 20 January 2022, the company was acquired by Uber for an undisclosed sum.[12][13][14] This was Uber's first Australian acquisition. The company continued operating independently following Uber's takeover with co-founder Will Davies as the chief executive until November 2022 when it was rebranded as Uber Carshare.[15]

How it works

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The company addresses the lack of trust and lack of ease that would otherwise discourage people from sharing their cars with others,[16][17] by:

  • Providing an online forum where vehicle owners and borrowers are registered, vetted,[18][19] and approved;[20]
  • Providing a feedback system to allow vehicle condition and member behaviour to be rated and reported by other members;
  • Providing in-car technology that enables keyless access to the car, and an automated, web-based booking platform;[20]
  • Providing in-car GPS technology that tracks the car's location, reducing the risk of theft and misuse of the vehicle;
  • Providing insurance covering owners and borrowers;[20] and
  • Handling payments between owners and borrowers.[21]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Fitzsimmons, Caitlin (22 October 2017). "Car ownership the norm, despite the rise in car sharing". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  2. ^ Sydney Morning Herald. ″Drive thy neighbour's car ... or just rent it″. Archived 10 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine Nicole Hasham, October 6, 2012.
  3. ^ Daily Telegraph. "Dollars drive car share scheme to be launched in Bondi and Paddington″. Shae McDonald, Sydney, August 8, 2012.
  4. ^ Carey, Alexis (14 August 2020). "Car Next Door: Man earns $6K a month from car rental service". news.com.au. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  5. ^ "How Car Next Door went from a gutsy Shark Tank pitch to an Uber acquisition". SmartCompany. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Neighbour to Neighbour Car Sharing Hits the Gold Coast | Car Next Door". Car Next Door. 7 November 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  7. ^ "Would you rent your personal car to a tourist? What if there was a $1,000 incentive?". www.abc.net.au. 22 May 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  8. ^ Juanola, Marta Pascual (15 August 2019). "Perth's motoring costs could plummet as 'Airbnb of cars' launches". WAtoday. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  9. ^ "How Car Next Door went from a gutsy Shark Tank pitch to an Uber acquisition". SmartCompany. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  10. ^ "How this Sydney startup secured a $2.5 million investment from a corporate giant". SmartCompany. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  11. ^ Hill, Joshua S. (19 September 2019). "Hyundai invests into Car Next Door car-share platform, with eye on electric". The Driven. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  12. ^ Ross, David (20 January 2022). "Uber buys Australian car-sharing tech start up Car Next Door". The Australian. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  13. ^ Kruger, Colin (20 January 2022). "Uber spreads its wings in Australia as it snaps up Car Next Door". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Uber acquires Aussie car-sharing startup Car Next Door". SmartCompany. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  15. ^ Tabassum, Mashuka (18 October 2022). "Uber ventures into carsharing by taking over Aussie enterprise". News.com.au. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  16. ^ "Survey Finds Trust is #1 Barrier to Sharing". 10 July 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  17. ^ Campbell Mithun and Carbonview Research. '″Collaborative Consumption: What Marketers Need to Know.″ Archived November 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine January 2012. www.campbell-mithun.com/talkinar. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  18. ^ "Car Next Door goes 'Minority Report' on bad actors (not Tom Cruise)". Australian Financial Review. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  19. ^ Moore, Ben (22 June 2021). "Max Kelsen uses ML to weed out rude users for Car Next Door". Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  20. ^ a b c Steve Mills (producer), (9 October 2012). Breakfast Program [radio broadcast]. Perth, 6PR.
  21. ^ "How and when you'll be paid". Car Next Door Help Centre. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
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