Skip to main content

Getaround acquires Drivy in $300m deal

US car-share company Getaround has acquired European competitor Drivy in a $300 million deal, expanding its presence into France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Belgium and the UK. Getaround says the deal allows drivers in Europe to earn money by making their car available to rent on its service. Getaround’s patented technology platform - Getaround Connect - enables users to locate and unlock cars using their smartphone. Meanwhile, Drivy offers a smart unlock function – a connected technology which removes the
April 30, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
US car-share company 8262 Getaround has acquired European competitor Drivy in a $300 million deal, expanding its presence into France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Belgium and the UK.


Getaround says the deal allows drivers in Europe to earn money by making their car available to rent on its service.

Getaround’s patented technology platform - Getaround Connect - enables users to locate and unlock cars using their smartphone. Meanwhile, Drivy offers a smart unlock function – a connected technology which removes the need for renters and owners to meet to pick up car keys.

Paulin Dementhon, Drivy founder and CEO, says: "Car-sharing will replace car ownership in large urban markets, meeting consumer demands for instant and flexible transportation options, while also making cities more liveable by freeing them from idle cars and reducing congestion and pollution in the process.

Dementhon will remain in his role as CEO of Europe, as will Drivy’s executive team, to oversee European operations.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • In-car electronics and user demand for connectivity make case for automotive Ethernet
    January 22, 2014
    According to Frost and Sullivan, the use of Ethernet technology in automotive is gaining pace in Europe and North America. The paradigm shift towards connected cars and associated services such as automotive app stores and connected location-based services is fuelling the uptake. Along with the need to integrate multiple consumer electronic devices, the importance of offering prioritised, personalised services and maintaining brand identity are compelling automotive OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) t
  • Video developments in automatic incident detection
    May 22, 2012
    David Crawford reviews technological progress with automatic incident detection Highway safety problems are likely to intensify given recent predictions of future traffic growth across the world. In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that currently over 30,000 deaths and 1.5 million injuries occur as the result of accidents on the nation’s roads each year. These figures will increase with the number of kilometres travelled each year in the US expected to gr
  • Communauto receives permit for car-share project in Toronto
    October 16, 2018
    Communauto will receive a permit to take part in the City of Toronto’s free-floating car-share pilot programme and will make 200 vehicles available from November. John Tory, mayor of Toronto, says: “I've encouraged the introduction of these new technologies and believe that there can be many benefits, including potentially reducing traffic and congestion by removing cars from the road." The Communauto Flex service is free to join and offers users a pay-as-you-go structure. Daily trips cost $0.41 per
  • Standardised technology aids low cost wireless communication
    November 13, 2012
    In the UK, the necessary radio spectrum has been identified and standardised technology developed to allow cost effective wireless communication between cars, devices and other ‘machines’. This by Professor William Webb. A world free of traffic congestion, with intelligent systems directing vehicles and alerting drivers to free parking spaces may sound a far off fantasy to motorists stuck in seemingly endless queues on the outskirts of London. Yet this is a scenario not confined to the world of science fict