Avis Budget Group to Leverage Amazon Web Services to Strengthen Data Capabilities

Avis Budget Group announced its plan to leverage Amazon Web Services’s (AWS) Connected Vehicle Solution to build its data-analytics platform.

“Working with AWS provides highly secure and scalable cloud services for Avis Budget Group’s global connected-car platform,” the company said.

Avis Budget said it will leverage AWS’s capabilities for artificial intelligence, machine learning and data management to develop a wide variety of innovative connected-vehicle applications and mobility services. Avis Budget Group currently has more than 100,000 connected cars globally and has committed to a fully connected fleet by 2020, according to the company.

Data intelligence and data-as-a-service stemming from connected cars are expected to increase operational efficiencies for the company and benefit smart-city planning.

“Our connected-car data is manufacturer-agnostic, meaning we have the ability to analyze data across makes and models, and our worldwide footprint gives us access to all corners of the globe,” said Arthur Orduña, chief innovation officer, Avis Budget Group. “The platform we built leveraging AWS’s connected-vehicle solution gives us advanced data-management and scalable-analytics capabilities for our connected-car platform. We now have the ability to scale up based on demand and our data is backed by AWS’s software and massive infrastructure, so we have access to new insights-driven tools, storage resources and first-class security.”

Connected-car data provides Avis Budget Group significant opportunity to streamline operations and reduce costs, the company said. This includes real-time inventory counts, mileage management and automated maintenance notification. Connected-car data also allows for more sophisticated tracking of idle vehicles and automated processing of cars ready to rent, according to the company.

AWS supports Avis Budget Group’s initiative to retain and manage a virtual environment with worldwide consistency across the operating system, programming language, web application platform, database and other services needed. AWS’s focus on security also will ensure the integrity and protection of connected-car data and other data sets to be stored by Avis Budget Group, a critical component for the continued growth of the global Internet-of-Things market, Avis Budget Group noted.

“For public and private organizations who choose to partner with Avis Budget Group down the road, we’ll be able to provide access to anonymized connected-car data through our connected-vehicle platform with the support of AWS,” Orduña said. “This could help create future vehicle innovation, new products and services for connected travelers and inform smart-city planning, like road condition and traffic volume data.”

The announcement deepens the existing relationship between Avis Budget Group and Amazon, which dates back to 2017, when Avis launched a skill for Amazon Alexa. This year, the two companies also announced that Amazon customers who book an Avis or Budget vehicle can save money on their rental and receive an Amazon.com gift card.