The burgeoning popularity of the self-drive car rental space has seen many startups gradually beginning to provide or aggregate affordable car rentals for the GenY that is fond of the shared economy concept. Cashing in on this trend, travel company Cox and Kings has launched Self-Drive 365, a one-stop road trip planner to destinations across India as well as abroad.

The brand will offer destination plans, experience-based drives, facilities as well as a variety of cars and motorcycles. There will also be a 24-hour support crew for a seamless experience. Self-Drive 365, with its seamless booking process, along with end-to-end trip planning is also the go-to platform for beginners who have low or no experience of self-drives.

The new brand allows customisation basis experiences, terrains and several enticing activities. Be it a winding hill-climb, arrow-straight highways, tunnel of trees or beach-hugging coastal roads, each route is fun for a different reason and Self-Drive 365 lets everyone choose their favourite route to head out on. A splendid window to the diverse cultures around the world, explorers can experience fascinating history behind the Indian sari, the Scottish kilt, the Englishman’s Bowler hat and the Bhutanese Gho en-route their destination. Similarly, one may choose to entwine the road trip with an activity or experience that makes a destination unique be it the alluring cuisines, wildlife and other adventures.

Speaking at the launch, Debolin Sen, Business Head, Self-Drive 365 said, “Self-drives are fast gaining popularity in India with enthusiasts wanting to explore foreign as well as domestic destinations at their own pace and with their favourite cars and bikes. With a highly experienced expert panel, round-the-clock assistance, hassle-free paperwork and series of thematic routes, Self-Drive 365 is set to be the pioneer of self-drive tours in the country”.

While the insurance, rental documentation, trip itinerary, accommodation will all be managed by Self-Drive 365, explorers will also be provided with a detailed road trip guide besides other mechanical assistance. Giving prime importance to the client’s convenience, the Self-Drive 365’s road trip advisor will first chat with them before charting the exclusive road trip.

Karan Anand, Head, Relationships, Cox & Kings said,” Being the leader in the industry, Cox & Kings has been in the forefront of conceptualizing dynamic travel offerings for travellers in India and elsewhere. In line with the emergence of experiential travel, the market for self-drives is growing. Through this unique offering, we wish to ensure, our travellers don’t miss the important part of local exploration”

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Voler cars, one of the leading mobility solutions and fastest growing self-drive car rental companies in the country has raised an undisclosed round for a minority stake in the company led by prominent investors such as Kanodias, having interest in consumer tech companies and having active role as investors along with Amit Banka, a leading investor and entrepreneur.

Its unique model has proved to be a big success in Delhi NCR as it’s unlimited kilometre and transparent pricing is widely accepted making the user base jump to 15000+ consumers with 50% traffic coming from its new age android application and iOS application.

Speaking on the announcement, Mr. Vikas Parasrampuria, CEO & Founder, Voler Cars said “We are pleased to announce funding round and partner with some of the leading business names in the market. At Voler, we believe in steady growth of business by providing it a strong foundation. In the last 7 months of self-drive operations, we have invested significantly in establishing an efficient operating model with a sound technology intervention. This capital funding will enable us in offering more superior yet convenient and safer interface to our consumers”.

It plans to reach its 1000 car fleets operation in 12 months. Currently operational fleet includes a range of aspirational cars from mini hatchback to SUVs to luxury sedans. This new funding will provide support to company’s expansion plans of fleets across multiple cities such as Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune etc over the next few months.

Ms. Punam Kanodia on participation in this funding round said “We are happy to partner with Vikas in his journey to take Voler and the self-drive rental business to newer heights. We are excited about the way the self-drive rental business has shaped up in the last few years. We look forward to growing this sector in India”

The company has designed its model keeping in mind consumers experience and safety. Its safety control includes parameters that keep consumers always connected through real-time inputs about the car, speed, location, and several other factors.

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The trend of renting a self-drive car has been fast gaining popularity for many reasons. You might be in a different city for business and need a car for a couple of days. You might want to go out for a weekend trip and need a car with better highway manners or you just feel like driving a different car for a change, a self drive car is a great option.

Most of these services work via an app model and you can book them on the go. All you need to do is pick your favourite car, select your pick-up and drop-time, pay for the rental and security deposit and you are all set to go.

The self drive car rental market is catching up big time in India. After trying out Zoomcar, a leading car rental service, here are some quick tips:

#1. Pick the right car

Renting a car or buying one, it is very important to pick the right one. A car is popular with the masses doesn’t mean that it is going to be the right choice for you. The dynamics and performance of cars from the same segment vary widely. Some are better suited for city driving with short gearing, light steering and soft ride while others are better tailored for relaxed high speed driving with tall gearing and stiffer suspension. Make sure you pick the car keeping these factors in mind.

#2. Check, Re-check before you take it out for a long-drive

Before picking the car, make sure you check it properly. Minor dents and scratches on the outside are acceptable but make sure you fill them in the checklist and click photos for the record. Give yourself some time to inspect tyre pressure, fuel level, oil level and standard accessories before you set off so that you don’t run into any issues later. While the support is generally good, you don’t want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere during your trip. The checks are also very important because otherwise you might be held responsible for damage you didn’t cause.

#3. Know your Permits

Since the cars they offer have been registered as a commercial vehicle, road taxes need to be paid when crossing state borders. All the providers put this information on their website in detail so that customers are well aware. So it is important to plan your route in advance, see what states you will be crossing and check the taxes you need to pay. Also look up the details of the toll booths at the state entry points so that you don’t accidentally miss them and run into issues.

#4. Phone-Contact in the days of an app

While you have made the booking through an app, it’s always good to save the call center number separately. You can’t always count on the app to communicate due to the unpredictable network conditions. Just to be on the safe side, also keep the contact number of the representative at the pickup spot if you happen to meet one.

#5. Don’t just count on the remote operations

While most of the processes are taken care of remotely with the help of mobile apps, there can be minor glitches at times. When you have rented the car, you are responsible for keeping it safe. At the drop off point, the car is automatically locked in a few minutes. Ensure that it is locked before you leave and notify the support center if that doesn’t happen.

Our experience of booking with the self drive car rental services has been good so far. Do share your experiences of rental services like MiCar, Zoomcar and Myles.

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