Ride-hailing service provider Ola has announced the launch of Ola Drive in India, a self-drive car-sharing service.
Ola Drive can be availed from the Ola app through a new category on the mobile app and will initially be available in Bengaluru with launches in Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi to follow shortly.
Ola will introduce the service to users in Bengaluru through pick-up stations located across different residential and commercial hubs. Users can choose to book a car of their choice for as little as two hours by paying a security deposit starting at Rs 2,000.
Customers who are availing the service can use Ola Drive for a minimum of 2 hours. The customer will have the option to choose their own customisable package, from the number of kilometres and hours needed to the amount of fuel included.
All Ola Drive cars across segments will come equipped with Ola’s connected car platform ‘Ola Play’, enabled through a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment device, and will include GPS technology, media playback and Bluetooth connectivity.
Users will also have access to the platform’s support and safety features such as a 24x7 helpline and emergency button. The assistance service will include road-side support to ensure a reliable, secure and comfortable driving experience.
“India’s car-sharing market has immense potential and opportunity, which is yet to see a large scale investment in technology and operations to make the model viable. Ola Drive has been built on the same DNA and will play a transformative role in defining India’s car-sharing market in the next decade,” Arun Srinivas, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Ola, said in a statement.
The company claims that the ride-sharing category will host 20,000 cars by 2020, 50 per cent more than the fleet size of the entire industry. “In the first phase of its roll-out, Ola Drive will be offered as a short-term self-drive car-sharing service as we look to introduce long-term subscription, corporate leasing, and more options in the times to come,” he added.
Ola Drive to come loaded with features
All Ola Drive cars across segments will come equipped with Ola’s connected car platform ‘Ola Play’, enabled through a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment device, and will include GPS technology, media playback and Bluetooth connectivity.