Skip to main content

Innovative use of SMS for peer-to-peer car sharing

Netsize, a leading mobile commerce enabler and a Gemalto company, has announced that CityzenCar, a peer-to-peer car sharing social network with 12,000 members across 2,000 locations in France, has deployed its SMS-based communication solution to secure and simplify car rental for consumers.
March 14, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
3864 Netsize, a leading mobile commerce enabler and a 3866 Gemalto company, has announced that CityzenCar, a peer-to-peer car sharing social network with 12,000 members across 2,000 locations in France, has deployed its SMS-based communication solution to secure and simplify car rental for consumers.

The Netsize SMS communication solution supports the entire neighbour-to-neighbour rental process, from renter validation to rental notifications, as well as confirming booking details. It works on any handset and is compatible with all wireless networks, guaranteeing 100 per cent reach so CityzenCar customers can use the service anywhere, anytime.

Car owners will be notified of each rental request by SMS and if they approve it, the driver will receive a text message on their mobile phone containing details of the car and location. The car owner can then choose to either deliver the keys to the driver in person or authorise CityzenCar to unlock the car doors. This innovative and convenient unlocking system is made possible by the CityzenBox, an embedded telematic device that sits within the car.

“We wanted to make it as easy as possible for our customers to interact with each other and make the best use of our service, “ commented Nicolas le Douarec, CEO, CityzenCar, “Netsize’s flexible and highly dependable SMS solution is crucial to ensure the quality of our service.”

“CityzenCar is ahead of the curve in its innovative use of technology to engage with customers. SMS is ideal where mobility is key as customers can be reached while on the move. It is also exceptionally interoperable, providing us with a far wider end-user reach,” said Frédéric Deman, general manager, Netsize.

Related Content

  • June 7, 2016
    Gemalto partners with Valeo on virtual car keys
    Digital security supplier Gemalto and automotive supplier Valeo have developed a virtual key solution enabling drivers to lock, unlock and even park their car via a smartphone. The solution can also provide access to real-time data (location, fuel levels and maintenance information) through Valeo’s In-Blue smartphone app.
  • July 30, 2013
    Geotoll’s payment app could be the smart answer to tolling interoperability
    Jon Masters looks at a smartphone app which could be the ‘disruptive technology’ that eases the way to interoperability in tolling systems. Consumer demand may soon drive the biggest step change yet in tolling. In the United States a new start-up company, Geotoll, has launched a smartphone app for electronic toll payment. It is not beyond possibility that rapid growth of the market for smartphones will continue – an estimated 50% of US citizens and 80% of Europeans now have one – and that the Geotoll brand
  • January 18, 2012
    Cellular communications drive the way forward for tolling
    For more than 20 years prior to joining the ITS industry, Mike Payne of Idris, part of Federal Signal Technologies, worked for Vodafone - the world's biggest mobile operator. Here, he considers how the road tolling sector can grow and learn from the cellular industry. The global cellphone has been one of the most successful collaborative technology projects in the last 30 years. Mobile phone technology developed throughout the 20th century with the first public service in the early 70s. This was followed by
  • November 30, 2012
    WirelessCar and Sprint partner on telematics solution
    Swedish telematics service provider WirelessCar was selected by Sprint to be a key technology provider in the launch of their Sprint Velocity Program. As an integral part of Sprint’s ecosystem, WirelessCar helped to build and implement an end-to-end global solution targeted to the connected vehicle industry. Sprint Velocity delivers a new capability for the auto industry, encompassing the development, integration and marketing of in-vehicle communications systems. Automakers can use Sprint Velocity as a com