CAR Inc, one of China's leading car rental companies, and Baidu Apollo, an open autonomous driving platform, jointly launched the world's first self-driving car rental product for the public in Beijing on Tuesday.

Users can book and experience the service through CAR Inc's app. Individuals aged 18 and above can unlock the "fully autonomous driving + fully self-service" short-term rental options, offering a new and secure travel option.

As the first car rental product in China to achieve autonomous driving and a fully self-service process, the new service is built on Baidu Apollo's L4 autonomous driving platform, deeply integrating CAR Inc's nationwide car rental network and fleet operation. Level 4 autonomy means the vehicle can drive autonomously in most conditions without a human driver.

Yu Hongfei, chairman of CAR Inc, said at the launch event: "As cars evolve from mechanical tools to intelligent companions, travel itself becomes a new medium for people to interact with the world. The ultimate significance of this transformation is not that the car can 'drive itself', but that it allows humans to more freely explore the possibilities of life."

Currently, China's car rental industry is entering a new phase with "technology for all" as the breakthrough, while smart travel is expanding, said independent industry analyst Xing Huanhuan.

Since its establishment in 2007, CAR Inc has taken "user demand" as its core and transformed from a traditional car rental leader to a leading smart travel service provider. Up to now, its fleet size has reached nearly 160,000 vehicles, covering more than 340 cities and has served over 170 million users.

Through this cooperation with Baidu Apollo, CAR Inc is redefining the user experience in the era of smart travel with its differentiated advantage of "fully autonomous driving", said Xing.

Through CAR Inc's app, users can complete the "booking — picking up the car — returning the car" process in just three steps.

Yu said, "From being a mere transportation tool to becoming an intelligent space that carries interactive living scenarios, this transformation is reshaping humanity's fundamental understanding of travel."

According to related data, the market size of China's intelligent transport and travel industry is expanding year by year and is expected to reach tens of billions of yuan by 2025, said Xing.

Self-driving car rental, with its low threshold and high degree of freedom, is likely to become the top choice for users' short-distance travel and vacation trips.

"The cooperation between CAR Inc and Baidu Apollo is precisely aimed at this blue ocean market," said Zhao Zhe, who is in charge of CAR Inc's intelligent driving product.

The first batch of customized vehicles are able to accommodate up to three people.

The operation process is deeply integrated with Baidu Apollo's autonomous driving system, ensuring that users can use it without any learning cost.

In terms of pricing, it is consistent with CAR Inc's existing short-term rental products, supporting flexible reservations from four hours to seven days, covering diverse scenarios such as daily commuting and weekend trips.

"The core of self-driving car rental is 'technology + scenario'," said Xing, stressing that its commercial implementation needs to meet three conditions — mature technology, scenario adaptation and a sustainable business model.