Shigeki Tomoyama, Toyota’s executive vice president
Hawaii has its own vehicle-sharing service supported by Toyota.
Hui, which in Hawaiian creole language means “hi” in English, is the name for Hawaii’s new car-sharing service which allows members to book one of 70 Toyota or Lexus with their phone.
Cars can be unlocked using a Toyota-developed phone app which opens a “Smart Key Box” to access the vehicle’s key fob.
Members pay a premium monthly rate of US$14.95 (A$20) for frequent use, and an hourly and daily rate “Freedom” membership will become available in due course which varies depending on the vehicle type.
A Camry would cost US$13.95 (A$19) per hour or $111.60 (A$151) per day, compared with a Prius asking US$9.95 (A$13) per hour or US$79.60 (A$108) per day.
Toyota North America chief executive Zack Hicks says the car-sharing system is a “game changer”.
“The program is simple to use and more convenient than a traditional car rental service, plus typical add-ons like gas and insurance are included in the reservation cost,” he says.
Shigeki Tomoyama, Toyota’s executive vice president says: “This new application demonstrates the power of combining Toyota’s unrivaled global manufacturing and technology capacity with dealers’ extensive local operations to provide consumers with more convenient options to move.”
