Getaround Car Sharing Service Releases Android App For Use In Austin, Chicago, Portland, San Diego, And San Francisco

The American dream of owning a car is on the decline, and depending on which part of the country you live in, there’s no shortage of ways to get from point A to point B without reaching for your own set of car keys. Getaround is one company that has carved a niche for itself, allowing drivers to rent vehicles from private owners, who are able to set their own rental price. This car-sharing approach, as opposed to ride-sharing (think Lyft or Uber), helps cut down on the volume of cars on the road by reducing the number that need to be purchased in the first place.

Signing up for the service is free, there are no annual fees, and insurance is included. For around $30, you can get to experience an hour behind the wheel of a Tesla if there’s one in your area.

  

The app lets you pick between automatic or manual cars, extend how long you want to rent a vehicle, and provides you with a list of rules to know before getting behind the wheel. Some owners would prefer not to have pets in their cars, and they don’t want to get the vehicle back smelling like cigarettes, either.

 

Getaround has been around for several years now, but it remains only available in five cities: Austin, Chicago, Portland, San Diego, and—where it got started—the San Francisco Bay Area. Everyone else will have to find a ride to the nearest one of these metros in order to get in on the action. Hopefully you have a car.