Avis is testing a system that unlocks a rental car with your phone
It also lets you start the car, no keys required.
Avis announced today that it has teamed up with Continental to bring keyless car rental to its customers, Roadshow reports. As part of a pilot program taking place in Kansas City, the company has equipped some of its cars with Continental's Key-as-a-Service technology, which allows users to lock, unlock and start their rentals with just a smartphone and the Avis app.
Continental's keyless system doesn't require any major changes to the vehicle's structure or circuitry, meaning it's easy to incorporate into pretty much any make or model. "Our partnership with Continental helps us deliver the next generation of mobility solutions and lays the foundation for entirely keyless car rental," Avis CEO Larry De Shon said in a statement.
Avis, which last year introduced a feature that let its customers choose which rental they wanted through the Avis mobile app, hasn't said how long it plans to run the pilot program or when it might see a larger rollout. But it will be demoing the new feature at the 2018 CES trade show next month.
