For those who like taking matters in their own hands, ride-hailing platform Ola has introduced a self-drive service. It has been initially rolled out for users in Bengaluru with Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi to follow shortly. To back this new initiative, Ola intends to host a fleet of 20,000 cars by 2020, 50% more than the fleet size of the entire industry put together. With over 200 million subscribers, Ola Drive has the largest user base for a car-sharing service in the country. To check if the service is available in your area, fire the Ola app and check for a tab called ‘Drive’.
Ola Drive enables users to design their own package, controlling everything from the number of kilometres and hours, to fuel inclusion. All Ola Drive cars across segments will come equipped with ‘Ola Play’, enabled through a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment device, and will include GPS, media playback, and Bluetooth connectivity. Users will also have access to the platform’s support and safety features such as a 24/7 helpline, emergency button and real-time tracking. The service will also include roadside assistance. In the first phase of its roll-out, Ola Drive will be offered as a short-term, self-drive car-sharing service and the company plans to introduce long-term subscription, corporate leasing, and more options in the times to come.
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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 INR 2000. The company conducted research with individuals with different driving experience levels to get a keen understanding of their preferences. The insights helped Ola to procure user-preferred car models, enable high-quality repairs and maintenance structures to ensure every user gets a fresh and high performing vehicle.
The service offers users the flexibility and freedom to rent cars for a period of time, ranging from as little as 2 hours to as long as 3 months.
Some highlights of this new self-drive service are as follows:
- Design your own package: Customers will have the flexibility to customize their package and need only pay for the kilometres they drive. The service can be used for as little as 2 hours to as long as 3 months
- Entertainment on-the-go: Play, Ola’s connected car platform, will offer users a selection of content spanning across radio, music and more on a 7-inch touch screen, which will include media playback and Bluetooth connectivity
- In-built navigation: All cars come equipped with navigation tools, ensuring users a reliable, secure and convenient driving experience
- Superior car quality: Every car part of the Ola Drive fleet has gone through a 104 point quality check
- Wide range of cars: Ola Drive houses a fleet of the most popular car brands from every segment that provides a unique driving experience to suit a wide range of customer needs. This includes, Economy and premium hatchbacks, Premium sedans, Compact and premium SUVs, Luxury cars
- Roadside assistance: Ola offers 24*7 roadside assistance to support users in cases of a breakdown or even a flat. Customers can call a dedicated 24/7 helpline number (provided at booking) to avail the service
- Emergency response: In-app safety features such as the emergency button and live-tracking aid Ola’s efforts to provide the user with a reliable, secure and comfortable mode
- Driving analytics: Ola Play, the connected car platform, analyzes driving behaviour, car performance, fuel consumption and offers insights to drive better, thereby aiding vehicular efficiency