Audi launches “Audi on demand” pilot mobility program
27 April 2015
Audi has introduced “Audi on demand”, an innovative mobility program that gives customers a new way to experience the Audi brand and its range of vehicles at the touch of a button. With Audi on demand, customers can reserve an Audi by the day for up to 28 days. The premium service is currently available in San Francisco as part of a beta program and will be rolled out across additional US cities in the coming years.
Audi on demand gives customers access to a wide range of the Audi vehicle lineup, from the Audi A4 sedan to Audi R8 supercar (the R8 for $1,195 per day). Via the Audi on demand app—currently available for download in the Apple App store—customers select their preferred Audi model. It is then personally delivered to them at the location of their choice by an Audi on demand concierge, who will help the customer get acquainted with the vehicle, from setting music preferences to tailoring the navigation system.
Customers are able to lock and unlock their vehicle, as well as enable driving via the Audi on demand app or via a personal key card. No membership fee is required. Additionally, the vehicle the customer sees and requests in the Audi on demand app will be the same vehicle delivered to them—down to the exact color and trim.
Audi on demand allows fans to match specific vehicles to their driving needs. For example, customers planning a trip to the mountains might request an Audi Q5, while those looking to arrive in style in wine country might request a sporty S7 or RS 5. All Audi on demand vehicles come equipped with Premium Plus trim and complimentary additional features, such as SiriusXM satellite radio and MMI Navigation plus, as well as quattro all-wheel drive.
Audi on demand also allows customers to customize their vehicles with several complimentary accessories. Child safety seats are available for all models, and ski racks and bicycle racks are available for the Audi allroad and Q5. Customers have the option of picking up their vehicle or having it delivered to a location of their choosing within the city of San Francisco. These locations could be curbside, outside of a business or residence, or in private off-street parking of any kind, such as a driveway or private parking lot.
Since the Audi on demand app features a digital key, repeat customers with private parking have the option of having their vehicle dropped off and picked up at specific delivery times without needing to meet a concierge as they are able to instantly access the vehicle from their smartphone.
I've been banging on about this for years, but here goes again...
This could be used to help people with current generation Evs such as the leaf.
Thus, when you buy a Leaf, you get so many "Nissan units" per year (for 10 years !) which can be used to rent other nissan cars for say 2 weeks per year (in 1 day units).
Thus, if you needed to take a long trip, you could swap the leaf for a Note or Qasqai. You might pay extra to take a larger car. You might pay extra to have someone else swap the cars.
Ideally, you would wake up on the morning and find your EV replaced by the ICE of your choice.
You might get a discount if you allowed someone else to use your EV.
The point is that just because you bought Car A from manufacturer M does not mean that you have to drive A all the time - you might be allowed so many "swap" days. This makes sense in any case as you might find that you prefer an SUV to a sedan or an EV to and ICE.
As long as you have reasonable insurance history and are not renting a crazy sports car, it should be OK. Someone who bought a Leaf and swaps it for a Qasqai is unlikely to use it to rob banks so the increased insurance risk should not be too large.
Posted by: mahonj | 27 April 2015 at 04:32 PM