Case Study: How
Toyota Built a Gig
Hero in KINTO
Toyota and the Origin of KINTO
In 2018, Toyota announced its transformation from an automaker to a "mobility company," focusing on connected, autonomous, shared, and electric (CASE) technologies. To support this, Toyota launched KINTO, its global mobility brand, and invested in ride-hailing services like Uber. To accelerate its U.S. expansion, Toyota partnered with Launch Mobility to leverage their expertise in building and scaling its new mobility business.
The Challenge of Tapping Into the World’s Fastest-Growing Fleet
Gig economy drivers face a significant barrier to entry, as many lack qualifying vehicles and struggle with traditional financing. Toyota identified this gap and planned to meet the demand with a flexible, short-term rental solution under its KINTO mobility brand. To ensure a fast market entry, Toyota decided to license the necessary technology rather than build it internally.
Why Toyota Chose Launch Mobility
Seeking a flexible and scalable partner for its KINTO mobility service, Toyota prioritized future growth and strategic alignment over a simple, quick solution. They partnered with Launch Mobility to create a profitable, self-serve rental platform for the ride-hail market, using their inventory of off-lease vehicles. This model combines Toyota's cars and dealer network with Launch Mobility's technology, allowing users to reserve, pay for, and unlock vehicles entirely through their smartphones.
How KINTO Benefits from Launch Mobility
KINTO unlocks massive opportunities by enabling short term rentals with driver self-service. Drivers book vehicles in advance or on demand. The entire registration process, including driver license verification, background check and payment, is managed in the KINTO mobile app. Once a driver is approved, they search for available vehicles in their area, manage payment methods, make reservations, and even lock and unlock their vehicle with their smartphone. The entire reservation process takes just seconds. The KINTO app is designed to be simple, creating a seamless user experience.
The Results
KINTO demonstrates why experts are forecasting significant shifts to access-based business models. KINTO has opened the gig economy to a whole new set of drivers and fulfilled a worthy vision of VaaS: democratized access, sustainably delivered. In the process, Toyota has taken a proactive role in developing this innovative new frontier.
