Hyundai Capital’s car-sharing service Deal Car has partnered with local small and medium-sized rental firms to help them digitalize their operations and platforms.

According to the consumer financial service providing unit of Hyundai Motor Group, Deal Car has noticed key hurdles that traditional rental businesses now face in the digital age, including the struggle to find a digital alternative to face-to-face interactions for booking and passing of car keys.

Through the partnership, Deal Car will provide digital services related to booking and car sharing along with comprehensive brand management and creative marketing.

It has signed a memorandum of understanding with mobile carrier KT in May and developed a device that enables both the rental firm and its customers to use cars without actual car keys by connecting with mobile apps. The device also bolsters security with a car tracking system. 

Deal Car officially launched its services in December 2018 and now has almost 7,000 vehicles registered in its system, Hyundai Capital said. Its users have increased 74 percent on-year to 1 million and has partnered up with around 280 local rental businesses so far.

Unlike its industry peers Socar and Green Car, which manage and provide their own vehicles, Deal Car works as a middleman between users and rental car services.

By Jung Min-kyung (mkjung@heraldcorp.com)