Avis Budget Group and Ford Team Up to Connect Cars, Reinventing the Rental Experience in Europe

• Customers renting Ford Motor Company vehicles from Avis Budget Group’s European fleet will soon find it easier to pick up and return their vehicles
   
• More than 4,000 Ford vehicles in the Avis Budget Group fleet are projected to be digitally connected in 2019, with a further 10,000 vehicles being added in 2020 as both companies make strides toward connectivity goals

BRACKNELL, United Kingdom, Sept. 02, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its mission to reinvent rental, Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAR) today announces an agreement with Ford Commercial Solutions to connect approximately 14,000 Ford Motor Company vehicles in Avis Budget Group’s European fleet.

Connected vehicles allow Avis customers to manage their entire rental experience through the Avis mobile app, including choosing the type of vehicle they want to rent, upgrading and extending the duration of their rental from their phones. Even returning a rental vehicle is automated with connected technology, allowing customers to drop off their vehicles through a simple tap in the Avis app.

Additionally, these connected Ford vehicles will provide valuable telemetry data in real time, including mileage, fuel level and vehicle condition updates. This allows a faster turnaround for customers, as Avis Budget Group fleet managers can process information they need more quickly.

Ford Commercial Solutions is providing an embedded telematics solution that offers a simplified and efficient way for Avis Budget Group to connect vehicles, reducing typical cost and complexity of implementing aftermarket solutions. More than 4,000 Ford vehicles in the Avis Budget Group fleet are expected to be connected by the end of 2019, and a further 10,000 vehicles by the end of 2020.

"Following the recent announcement of more than 35,000 Ford vehicles connected in our US fleet, this expansion of a further 14,000 connected vehicles in Europe is testament to the relationship with Ford Commercial Solutions and a significant milestone in our commitment to have a fully connected global fleet,” said Valerie Chenivesse, Fleet Services Director – International, Avis Budget Group. "Connectivity allows us to increase efficiencies as a business, delivering a more streamlined and on-demand experience for our customers.”

"It is great to work alongside an organisation which shares our mutual goal to push the boundaries of connectivity and innovation as we charge into a new era for mobility,” added Chenivesse.  

To connect its embedded telematics solution, Ford Commercial Solutions is using the Transportation Mobility Cloud (TMC) from Autonomic, an open platform that securely manages information flow to and from vehicles’ embedded modems. Through this partnership, Ford Data Services takes advantage of Ford vehicles’ built-in connectivity and transfers data directly from vehicles to the TMC without the need for additional third-party hardware, management or installation downtime. The data is then easily relayed to the fleet owner’s internal IT system or telematics service via the TMC — giving businesses easy access to valuable information that can improve their operations and the overall customer experience.

"Ford Data Services and the TMC make it possible to deliver real-time connectivity across a fleet, enabling new data collection and insights. These insights make daily operations more efficient for our partners and their customers,” said Dave Phatak, director of Ford Commercial Solutions, Europe "We are thrilled to work with Avis Budget Group, whose commitment to a fully connected fleet matches ours as we deliver 100 per cent new vehicle connectivity in Europe by the end of 2020.”

A business unit of Ford Smart Mobility LLC, Ford Commercial Solutions has one goal — to help fleets improve their operational effectiveness by offering OEM-grade data verified by Ford engineers, such as fuel use and vehicle health alerts. For more information on Ford Commercial Solutions, please visit www.commercialsolutions.ford.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 196,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 51,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and consolidated joint ventures and approximately 65,000 people when unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 23 manufacturing facilities (17 wholly owned or consolidated joint venture facilities and six unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.

About Avis Budget Group
Avis Budget Group, Inc. is a leading global provider of mobility solutions, both through its Avis and Budget brands, which have more than 11,000 rental locations in approximately 180 countries around the world, and through its Zipcar brand, which is the world’s leading car sharing network, with more than one million members. Avis Budget Group operates most of its car rental offices in North America, Europe and Australasia directly, and operates primarily through licensees in other parts of the world. Avis Budget Group has approximately 30,000 employees and is headquartered in Parsippany, N.J. More information is available at www.avisbudgetgroup.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements.” Any statements that refer to outlook, expectations or other characterizations of future events, circumstances or results are forward-looking statements. Various risks that could cause future results to differ from those expressed by the forward-looking statements included in this press release include, but are not limited to, the anticipated benefits of connected vehicles, the timing of when Avis Budget Group will have connected vehicles in its fleet and the anticipated benefits of partnering with Ford Commercial Solutions, the high level of competition in the mobility industry, changes in our fleet costs as a result of a change in the cost of new vehicles, manufacturer recalls and/or the value of used vehicles, disruption in the supply of new vehicles, disposition of vehicles not covered by manufacturer repurchase programs, the financial condition of the manufacturers that supply our rental vehicles which could affect their ability to perform their obligations under our repurchase and/or guaranteed depreciation arrangements, any change in economic conditions generally, particularly during our peak season and/or in key market segments, any change in travel demand, including changes in airline passenger traffic, any occurrence or threat of terrorism, any changes to the cost or supply of fuel, risks related to acquisitions or integration of acquired businesses, risks associated with litigation, governmental or regulatory inquiries or investigations, risks related to the security of our information technology systems, disruptions in our communication networks, changes in tax or other regulations, a significant increase in interest rates or borrowing costs, our ability to obtain financing for our global operations, including the funding of our vehicle fleet via asset-backed securities markets, any fluctuations related to the mark-to-market of derivatives which hedge our exposure to exchange rates, interest rates and fuel costs, our ability to meet the covenants contained in the agreements governing our indebtedness, and our ability to accurately estimate our future results and implement our strategy for growth and cost savings. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could also have material adverse effects on Avis Budget Group’s performance or achievements. In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated, or if no date is stated, as of the date of this press release. Important assumptions and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are specified in Avis Budget Group’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, and in other filings and furnishings made by Avis Budget Group with the SEC from time to time.  Avis Budget Group undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.