Carsharing is establishing itself as an important alternative to the world of mobility. In key cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, more and more mobility solutions are available to all users. Unfortunately each of these has its cons as well as its advantages. We wanted to know more about what this new driving and mobility experience was like, and for this we have worked with Getaround, the most complete carsharing system that we have seen to date. Get on with us because we are going to travel with Getaround for several days and I am going to tell you about my first-hand experience of using it.
What is Getaround? A carsharing system
We have a good battle of vehicles available on the streets, yes Wible, yes Car2Go, yes eCooltra ... However Getaround has another philosophy, we will not find stickers or advertising on its vehicles, and that is that Getaround works differently in this regard, It does not have its own fleet of vehicles but is a contact platform between different owners that allow some to enjoy the facilities of having a vehicle available when and where they want, while for the owners it has a favorable economic impact, since who make their vehicle available to others.
Our vision is a world in which all vehicles are shared, our mission is also clear, to improve mobility by reducing pollution and congestion in cities. We want to liberate cities, providing easy access for users to vehicles, at any time and for any need.
Getaround was born in 2009 in the United States and has been growing in more than 300 cities and eight countries, until recently and in order to expand more efficiently throughout Spain decided to acquire a platform with identical characteristics, Drivy.
Why have we chosen Getaround and not another?
Well mainly because we wanted to carry out a test that went further, This time we have done more than 1.200 km, from Madrid to Almería (round trip). This is a possibility until now restricted to rental houses, and this is one of the great differences between Getaround and other platforms, we can choose between vehicles of almost all types and with different characteristics, this allows us to get much more out of it, In addition, we are not subject to a specific range of action, we can go where our imagination wishes, we just have to take a Getaround.
We have opted for a comfortable and ecological sedan (hybrid), however, Getaround is also designed for other types of users. Through its application we will even be able to rent a van by the hour, which will allow us, for example, to leave the center of Madrid to go to Ikea for a few pieces of furniture, is there another carsharing platform that allows it? We have been checking it and the reality is that no, either because of autonomy or because the price will not stop rising while we are making the purchase. With Getaround you can take a convertible ride on Gran Vía or go to the Ikea for some furniture, who gives more?
How to sign up for Getaround
The Getaround system is accessible through applications for Android and iOS (iPhone). The entire procedure from the time we register until we rent the vehicle is done through the application, and here we find another differentiated aspect. We have tested platforms like Car2Go and Emov and they all have the same flaws: The registration process requires a verification that takes several days and requires advance payment of a "registration".
In the case of Getaround all this takes on a new tint. In our case it took approximately 30 minutes from when we downloaded the application for the first time until we could already rent our first vehicle. To do this, we download the application and then we create an account. Then we have to access the verification system, for this it uses a facial detection system and intelligent document scanning. First, through the front camera of our device we will have to scan our face, to later proceed with the scan of our ID and our driving license.
From Getaround They assure us that this process is that fast for most users and it is also equally safe since it uses a human verification system for reinforcement. This process may be a bit slower for certain licenses that require confirmation such as the United States of America. Be that as it may, we only had to add a payment method and we could rent our vehicle, as a technology lover this was the first thing that left me with my mouth open. During the same day you will be able to register and rent a vehicle, This is something that not all mobility platforms offer.
How to use Getaround
Now comes the easy. Once we open the Getaround application, the prices and different vehicles that we have closer to us will automatically appear. Obviously we are not going to pay the same to drive a Ford Ka as to drive a BMW Z4 (yes, there is so much variety in the app). For this we will have a series of filters that allow us to choose if we want a convertible, a hybrid, an electric, a van or any other vehicle segment that meets our needs. In our case we needed a sedan or a saloon, we were going to travel more than 1.000 km in three days.
We opted for a Hyundai Ionic hybrid from a user, a car from 2018 practically new with less than 30.000km and with a good number of driving assistance systems that guaranteed us maximum comfort and safety. After indicating the pick-up date and the pick-up date and the return date we were ready, but there were still some things to do.
Getaround has two possibilities: Meet with the owner who gives us the keys or take advantage of Getaround Connect. This is a system that is synchronized with the vehicle and offers data such as current kilometers and the contents of the fuel tank. Thanks to Getaround Connect we will be able to open and close the vehicle directly with the mobile phone and this is convenient for both users and owners. The installation of Getaround Connect is completely free and is the favorite option for those who want to rent their vehicle to get extra money and contribute to the environment. Once opened, the key is usually stored inside, so the rest of the days we have been using the traditional opening method
The security of lending your car to a stranger
As we have said, Getaround is actually a platform that serves as an intermediary to connect vehicle owners and those who need it, however, a vehicle is quite expensive in most cases, and as we have said, in Getaround we find from a Mercedes E-Class to a Renault Zoe. To guarantee the safety of both users, before opening the car the application asks us to perform a scan of the eight external key points of the vehicle, an action that is carried out both before and after the rental, This way it is known for sure what the type of damage is done and who is responsible for it. Further, The owner must accept the user for which he can take a look at his verified profile, unless it is a vehicle for immediate rental.
In the same way we must indicate any alteration of the interior, both in terms of cleanliness and its general condition. Owner and user must ensure the care of the vehicle equally, so you must deliver it clean on the outside and in the same interior condition in which you picked it up, for this it has verification systems. It is important if you want to receive a good score that these points are fulfilled. Further, the vehicle must be delivered with the same amount of gasoline that the owner had left at the time of delivery.
Civil liability insurance is just as important, Getaround will allow us three different modalities through Allianz Insurance:
- All risk without excess
- Reduced franchise of 250 euros
- Normal franchise of 1.100 euros
Prices will be altered by a charge daily depending on the option and will obviously depend on each specific case, the vehicle and other determining factors such as the age and experience of the driver. Once insured, both the user of the application and the other additional drivers that accompany it will be protected.
My experience with Getaround
In general, I must rate my experience with getaround, and it is that it has some differential factors that make it the most complete system.
- Rental system both by the hour and by the day without territory limitations
- A registration system without the need for advance payment and extremely fast profile verification
- The possibility of renting all types of vehicles with great autonomy, capacity and versatility
And this is how Getaround has become my favorite mobility platform alongside eCooltra.