Avis Budget Group has launched a new, pay-per-kilometre, mobility brand in Italy, dubbed Smile Rent.

Avis Budget Group says its new 100% self-serve brand will target budget-conscious, tech-savvy travellers to Italy

Initially launching in Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa airports this summer, Smile Rent operates more as a car sharing service, enabling customers to access their rental vehicles via their phones without needing to visit a rental desk. The keys will be inside the vehicles in the dedicated parking spots near the airport, reachable via the airport shuttle service, and the car can be locked and unlocked via the app. Customers can also manage the full rental process from their smartphone, including bookings, costs and any modifications, such as upgrades.

In addition, the service is run on a pay-per-kilometre basis, meaning that the customer pays for the actual kilometres covered during the rental.

Katie Mille, director of strategy – international, Avis Budget Group, said: “This is an exciting step for us as we continue to look at ways to reinvent rental for the present and future needs of different customers and partners. The launch of Smile Rent represents a further step in the path taken by Avis Budget Group to generate innovative mobility solutions. With this launch we are making the rental experience more simple, transparent and on-demand – allowing customers to manage the entire process with complete freedom and autonomy.

“Smile Rent brings budget-conscious customers, straight-to-vehicle access at a very competitive price: Book, Drive, Enjoy.”