Austin-based startup Silvercar’s fresh approach to car rental service has become hugely popular and has seen dramatic growth in the last few years. Following a similar model, that has a tech-focused approach along with the added advantage of concierge service, Audi has announced a pilot program in San Francisco, which offers a variety of Audi models to rent on a per-day basis, up to 28 days at a time. Named Audi on Demand, the service allows customers to use an iOS app to select from a variety of models including everything from the A4 to the R8. The car then will be personally delivered to them at the location of their choosing 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.”
With rental fees ranging from $165 to $1,285/day for an Audi R8, the service is quite a bit more expensive than competitors like Silvercar and Zipcar. Nevertheless, considering that Silicon Valley is home to some of the biggest tech companies and upcoming startups, the rent for an R8 doesn’t sound outrageous. The expensive models have mileage limits of 200 miles per day with extra charges if you go over. The service is currently in “beta” but Audi says it will eventually be rolled out to additional U.S. cities in the coming years.
[Audi]
