Udrive, a Dubai car rental platform, has launched a service that it says will guarantee the availability of rental vehicles in areas around Dubai World Trade Centre.
The tech start-up said its two Udrive Stations — near World Trade Centre Residence and another near the business hub One Central — will guarantee that cars are available to users on demand.
Udrive described the stations as geofences that have been incorporated into its proprietary technology infrastructure.
The stations are created exclusively for people who return frequently to DWTC, such as employees, residents and multi-day visitors.
Cars are rented from the stations on a per-day basis only and must be returned back to the stations.
Customised messaging and pricing models are available, as are preferred vehicle options.
Udrive said the stations are aligned with Dubai’s 2040 Urban Master Plan, which seeks to provide sustainable and flexible means of mobility.
Nicholas Watson, Udrive co-founder and chief executive, said the new stations in DWTC "are catering to a market that hasn't been served before".
"The Udrive team has assessed the area’s demographic and developed a globally unique, affordable and convenient way to mobility, making it easier for users to access cars of their choice almost immediately.
"To date, Udrive records around 800 trips weekly in the DWTC area. With our initial launch here, we are investing in the UAE’s development with forward-thinking solutions that deliver great experiences and mobility for our communities.”
He said the average Udrive car is used by five people a day, which was "effectively removing five private cars off the roads per Udrive car in our fleet".
"We envision this as the inception of many such stations throughout Dubai and the UAE that encourage the development of a smart, connected city of the future," he said.
Car-sharing apps that allow customers to rent a vehicle by the hour, or even the minute, have been growing in popularity. The pay-by-use model helps drivers to save on insurance and maintenance costs, and car loan repayments.
KPMG estimates that almost 50 per cent of car owners today will no longer want to own a vehicle by 2025. Research and Markets claims four out of every 10 car journeys will eventually be by car share.
