Mapless AI and Aero Corporation Partner to Pilot Tele-Operations for U.S. Car Rental

Barchart · 10/17 06:55

Mapless AI, a global innovator in remote tele-operations for consumer and commercial vehicles, and Aero Corporation, one of the largest North American franchisees of the Avis and Budget brands with more than 35 rental locations in 5 states with a fleet over 4,000, today announced a new partnership to pilot tele-operations with remote human operators on Aero’s rental fleet, initially focusing on its Electric Vehicles (EVs).

The partners will test tele-operating fleet management applications, such as off-rent vehicle shuttling and EV charging, with remote tele-operations for increased operational efficiencies and economies of scale. They will also test customer-facing applications, such as tele-operated curbside vehicle and passenger pick-up and drop-off, for increased customer satisfaction and incremental revenue services.

“We are excited to be the first major rental fleet owner to pilot and test tele-operations in the U.S.,” said Solomon Cramer, President of Aero Corporation. “We believe that safe, efficient tele-operations, specifically Mapless AI’s unique platform, has the potential to significantly improve our business and change the car rental industry in the long-term for the better.”

“We are honored to partner with Aero Corporation who has a history of leadership and innovation in the rental industry,” said Philipp Robbel, co-founder and CEO of Mapless AI. “Our goal is that a series of successful pilots will lead to the first true commercial deployments of tele-operations in the rental industry.”

Mapless AI’s tele-operations platform, already in active pilot initiatives at Pittsburgh International Airport and in Detroit, Michigan, leverages the co-founders’ experience leading safety and engineering teams for Autonomous Vehicle development at Uber, Apple and Aptiv. It is the first tele-operations platform to incorporate purpose-built active safety systems for commercial operation on public roads.

“Our unique advantage is a focus on passenger and vehicle safety-first,” said Jeffrey Kane Johnson, co-founder and CTO of Mapless AI. “We’ve patented our technology that allows tele-operated vehicles to operate safely, even during network interruptions. We’re excited to pilot and eventually deploy our platform in partnership with Aero Corporation.”

About Aero Corporation

Founded in 1968, Aero Corporation has grown to become one of the largest Avis and Budget franchisees in North America. With a fleet of over 4,000 vehicles and annual revenues exceeding $60 million, we proudly serve customers across Central and Western Pennsylvania, Central and Northern New Jersey, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota.

Aero’s operations extend beyond car rental. As a franchisee of CarStar, we offer top-tier auto body repair services and, as a certified Tesla repair facility, we provide specialized care for electric vehicles.

Aero Corp is committed to innovation and sustainability, actively working with key partners to expand and electrify Avis and Budget locations within our geographic footprint. Our mission is to lead in both customer service and environmental responsibility, ensuring a bright future for our industry and communities.

About Mapless AI

Mapless AI is a Pittsburgh/Boston-based mobility company that develops ground-breaking, safety-first teleoperations technology to realize safe, efficient, and easily-accessible mobility for all. Powered by their patent-pending active safety technology, Mapless AI is delivering the first tele-operations solution to support driverless vehicle dispatching at scale and in real-world traffic conditions. Seamlessly integrated into existing fleet vehicles, their safe remote-driving solutions enable new use cases like instant rental car delivery and optimized EV fleet logistics. Mapless AI is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and leading venture investors.