SAN DIEGO — Getaround is preparing for an autonomous future by developing technology to enable its platform to provide on-demand maintenance services, Chief Financial Offer Adam Kosmicki said at Auto Finance Innovation 2017 yesterday.
Getaround is the sharing access point for a vehicle, Kosmicki said. “We have built a technology platform where, in a lot of cars today, we have to install our own hardware to enable all the telematics; the GPS location; the diagnostics, and so on.”
As cars become increasingly connected, and even autonomous down the road, “our hardware becomes obsolete — which is a wonderful thing,” he said.
This is because Getaround is trying to get vehicles to be “richly connected” enough — through its partners, including Toyota Financial Services — for Getaround to integrate its keyless carsharing technology right into the vehicle, Kosmicki said.
This integrated platform will enable the sharing of vehicle information, including what is happening to that vehicle at all times, he added. “That’s not just: Where is the car? Or, is car being used? It’s: Is the gas low? Does the oil need to be changed?”
Getaround’s platform is built to be that place for engagement around the vehicle, Kosmicki said. “When we know the car needs an oil change — and it’s 3 a.m. and we know exactly where it is — we can share secured, credentialed access, even the car keys, by sharing access through the car. We can provide that platform for services. It’s one of the things we are working on from a technology perspective.”
Getaround hopes to enable people to never have to “sit around and wait” for servicing or maintenance. “We are trying to enable a platform that becomes what an autonomous car is intended to be, way before autonomous cars come to market,” he added.
