Automakers may have looked into the future of the auto industry and seen that the trend in the industry. What is the trend? They are ride-sharing, electric cars and self-driving cars. It is, therefore, no surprise that many of these automakers are investing heavily in these three trending innovation.
For example, Toyota invested in Uber and Grab, which bought Uber Asia; Volkswagen bought shares of Gett, BMW became a shareholder of carpool-platform Scoop. General Motors, is a shareholder of ride-hailing service Lyft.
For Toyota, it has accelerated its plan to accommodate changes in the auto industry as it has floated a new car-sharing service called Hui on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
The Toyota Hui service that will launch with 70 cars at over 25 stations around the city. Hui vehicles will not be a free-floating though. Vehicles rented from the service will have to be returned to their original location. The price for rental will include gas and insurance.
“The programme is simple to use and more convenient than a traditional car rental service–plus typical add-ons like gas and insurance are included in the reservation cost,” said Zack Hicks, chief executive officer and president of TCNA, and chief digital officer of Toyota Motor North America.
A variety of cars will be available via the companion app including the Toyota Prius and Camry models and Lexus (the luxury arm of Toyota) RX350 and RX F Sports vehicles.
