Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Articles

A traveler searches for rental cars with an AI bot
Rental Operations•by Michael Meyer•September 14, 2026

When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?

As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)

Read More →
Woman receiving car rental rates on computer from AI agent
Rental Operations•by Michael Meyer•September 1, 2026

Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental

Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)

Read More →
ride hailing driver on left, car rental driver on right
•by Chris Brown•August 30, 2026

Which Is Cheaper, Ride-Hailing or Car Rental?

An Amex GBT comparison of airport trips in 10 U.S. cities found that rental was the clear winner for some one-day trips. But trip length, parking, fuel, and the number of local journeys can change the calculation.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
car being sold with text rental fleet market perspective
Fleet Acquisition•by Chris Brown•August 12, 2026

Rental Vehicle Orders Remain Steady Amid Supply Concerns

With Hyundai’s South Korean strike creating uncertainty for 2027-model-year deliveries, Mike Muehlenfeld of Walser Automotive Group says rental operators are maintaining normal purchasing levels and generating strong returns at disposal.

Read More →
A counter agent chats with a customer over a rental counter
Rental Operations•by Efstathios Katinas•July 21, 2026

The Desk Upsell Is Costing Operators More Than it Earns

Counter upsells generate revenue, but they can also slow transactions, erode trust, and cost repeat business. Fully inclusive pricing may offer operators a better path to long-term value.

Read More →
ACRA Chairman Sharky Laguana on stage at the ICRS event in Grapevine, Texas.
Legal & Legislative•by Martin Romjue•June 24, 2026

ACRA Carrying Fuller Industry Load As AI and EVs Lurk In Future

The leading car rental professional business group details an active legislative, regulatory, and macro-trends agenda affecting car rental operators.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Side view of ICRS speaker Sanchit Garg at podium in front of a floor lit red curtain
Rental Operations•by Martin Romjue•June 22, 2026

A Leveling Force: AI Morphs Into A Rental Car Profit-Seeker

Revenue managers can’t match the emerging AI tools gobbling lots of data that could counter the competitive race to the rate bottom.

Read More →
Richard Lowden gesturing on stage in front of a red curtain at the Gaylord Texan Resort near Dallas.
Rental Operations•by Martin Romjue•June 12, 2026

Rethink The Future To Avert A Race To The Bottom

Rental car operators heard a sobering industry message and a stern challenge at the close of the International Car Rental Show.

Read More →
An AI-imaging tunnel instantly scans a car for damages at Wenn's location in Lithuania.
Rental Operations•by Mark Havel, Wenn•June 2, 2026

Using AI to Create Clarity, Not Conflict, in Rental Car Damage

Rental companies still need people, policy, judgment, and thoughtful implementation, with operators remaining in control of the customer experience.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental Operations•by Hannes Poldvee, Car Rental Gateway•May 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →