Most of us are only traveling to far-flung locales this summer via themed, at-home date nights (I personally just ‘visited’ Rioja myself this past Sunday night with a lovely Rosado and vegan paella!). While non-essential, transcontinental travel is likely out of the cards for the remainder of this year, a recent post on MIT Medical’s site suggests that traveling by car is safe. And for city dwellers who may need to rent wheels to get out of town for a driving-distance-friendly getaway, MIT Medical says that transmission in a rented car is ‘unlikely’ and ‘low risk’. Hearing that the risk is low is reassuring, but what exactly are rental companies doing to ensure that the low risk is as low as humanly possible? Many companies are offering contactless pick-up and return as the new normal, but some premium car rental services are going further. Audi-only car and SUV rental service Silvercar by Audi offers one of the most flexibility, least amount of contact and the most detailed cleaning guidelines; here is what a premium car rental experience might look like for your next escape. 

What does Contactless Rental look like?

Many organizations are now offering a form of contactless pickup. Lyft Rentals has recently reopened its Lyft Rentals service from many major airports, wherein masked concierges help navigate renters through the pickup process. Even more contactless is Silvercar by Audi’s contactless rental, which is fully automated from booking to pickup and return. Reservations are made in-app, then on the day of rental the reservation can be activated without having to interact in-person with a concierge. Once on location, the car can be scanned with the app and its doors will unlock. While previously available to repeat customers, the service just recently expanded to include new renters, too. 

The rental companies who deliver

In addition to contactless pickup options, some companies are offering a new delivery and pickup service. Hertz and Sixt offer a limited version of this, but Silvercar by Audi’s offering is the most comprehensive. Their new offering is called Delivery to You, which does exactly what the name suggests, and is now offered in all of the service’s locations. Pricing for delivery is dependent on the renter’s distance from Silvercar’s facility, and starts at $50. The new Delivery to You service requires 48 hours advance notice and each delivery request must be approved by a Silvercar concierge while the organization continues to adjust the exact delivery geography.

New renter-friendly protocols

Nearly all car rental companies offer some version of a one-way rental option, often with a hefty fee attached. Silvercar by Audi is temporarily offering one-way drives between all Silvercar locations with no fees attached. Additionally, apparently to accommodate any unexpected changes in travel schedules, they are offering the option to extend long-term rentals beyond the standard 14 days. Each Silvercar vehicle is put through a 19-step cleaning process before renting, including germicidal cleaning solution and extra-thorough vacuuming of footwells and cloth areas.