Kakao T Revolutionizes Car Rentals with Minute-by-Minute Bookings and Non-Face-to-Face Services

Kakao Mobility has updated its taxi platform ‘Kakao T’ to allow users to rent cars on a per-minute basis. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — Kakao Mobility has updated its taxi platform ‘Kakao T’ to allow users to rent cars on a per-minute basis, moving away from the traditional minimum one-day rental requirement. This new car rental service enables users to receive and return vehicles at different locations in a contactless manner.

On January 21, the ICT industry reported that Kakao Mobility had introduced the ‘Use Right Away Nearby’ feature to the ‘Rental Car’ service of Kakao T on January 19. Unlike the existing ‘Delivery Reservation’ that required a minimum 24-hour rental, this new feature, equipped with some functions of the car-sharing platform Turo, allows rentals for durations of just a minute or more.

This innovation is economical as it enables users to specify rental periods in one-minute increments, not just in 30-minute blocks as with ‘Delivery Reservation.’ 

To rent a vehicle, users no longer need to meet with a rental company employee for paperwork. Instead, they can activate the Kakao T app near the rental location (Turo Car Free Zone), select a vehicle, and start using it. This service differs from traditional car rentals that require a physical key, as it operates through a smart key within the app. 

For returning the vehicle, users can park it in a different return zone near their destination, not necessarily at the original rental spot. After parking, they simply need to register the parking location and post-trip photos in the app to complete the return process. 

This service is particularly useful for travelers, allowing them to rent a car near their home and return it at the airport.

A Kakao Mobility representative highlighted the enhancement of user choice with the addition of this minute-by-minute, contactless standard. The feature was first applied in the Apple App Store and is set to be rolled out sequentially to Android phones as well.

Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)