Turo is a peer-to-peer carsharing start-up from Silicon Valley, aspiring to disrupt the car-rentals industry in a similar way as Uber has done with the taxi industry. Operating as a multi-sided platform powered by web and mobile technology, Turo allows private owners to rent their cars when not using them, and customers to pick from a big selection of locally-owned vehicles.
Turo claims that their business is a tech-enabled network that allows car owners to earn extra cash, rather than that of traditional a car rental company. Not owning any vehicles, Turo shouldn’t be subject to the same regulations as traditional rental companies.
On the other hand, rental companies see Turo and other car sharing start-ups – for good reason – as an emerging threat. According to the American Car Rental Association, car-sharing companies like Turo are clearly car-rental companies, while there are also significant safety risks that are being ignored. What if a Turo-rented car, which is on the round despite being in a recalled list, is involved in a serious accident?
A key question to determine the future of p2p carsharing: Are carsharing start-ups, like Turo, rental car companies in Silicon Valley camouflage or technology companies steering the future of mobility?
Read the article from Washington Post