Keyless entry for automobiles is not a new concept, but Zipcar’s latest entry into the iPhone app party certainly is. Zipcar, a company whose members use a shared a fleet of automobiles on a subscription basis, just released its own iPhone/iTouch application, which may reduce headaches related to hard-to-find cars or missing keys.
The app lets Zipcar members reserve a car, find it and even unlock it with an iPhone or iTouch. According to the press release, the new app enables users to do the following 10 “cool” things:
- Find available Zipcars on a map using your current location, a favorite location, or any location
- Reserve a Zipcar anytime, anywhere
- Sort cars by time available, car type and model
- View upcoming reservations
- Get directions to your Zipcar
- Easily locate your reserved Zipcar by telling it to honk its horn
- Unlock and lock your Zipcar after scanning your Zipcard at the start of each reservation
- Tap to contact Zipcar if help is needed during a reservation
- Extend or cancel reservations on the go
- Play around with the virtual key fob and make sounds even when you’re not in a reservation
If it’s true what Zipcar CEO Scott Griffith says, that more than 25 percent of its customers “live their lives” from their iPhones, then the app release certainly is a shrewd move. The application is free and available from Apple’s App Store.
Will car makers take notice and make similar apps available? And what happens when you lose your phone and suddenly you’re left without keys or a way to call for help? Personally, I like the reassuring clink of my old-school metal keys in my pocket.
Image courtesy of Zipcar