DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A CAR RENTAL SYSTEM
(SPRINGLIGHT CAR RENTAL, PORTHARCOURT)
CHAPTER ONE
- Introduction
It takes a lot of cost to own and maintain a motorcar (car) in a metropolitan area. For example, it is difficult and expensive to keep a parking spot in such an area. Under such circumstances, the cost for maintaining a car is unjustifiable with respect to the amount of time the car is used. In view of this, where the amount of time one needs to use a car is limited, it is cost-effective to rent a car when necessary rather than to own a car. However, a disadvantage of renting a car is that the user has to go to a car rental agency and go through a tiresome procedure. Thus, renting a car has not been as convenient as using one’s own car. It is troublesome to go to the car rental agency especially when it is raining, which has been discouraging the use of a rental car.
The Internet is sometimes used to check which cars are available and to make a reservation when a specifically desired car is available. This can simplify the car-renting procedure and facilitate the use of a rental car.
In such a car rental system, in which the conventional renting procedure is simplified, it is still common that the user has to go to the car rental agency. In order to further facilitate the car renting procedure, a system is developed in which a car rental agency has a plurality of locations where the agency places the car that are available for the renting. The user can pick up a specifically desired car from any one of the plurality of locations and start driving the car (Japanese Patent No. 2890108).
This system provides an increased number of locations where the user can pick up a car so that the user can rent a specifically desired model of car in a reduced amount of time. However, the user still has to go to one of the locations specified by the car rental agency, and it is not yet as convenient as using one’s own car.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a car rental system, in which the user can use a rental car as conveniently as using one’s own car.
The present invention provides a car rental system including a computer, a network for connecting the computer to terminal units of users, the computer receiving a rental order specifying a model of a rental car and a delivery location for the rental car to be delivered, and a car delivery system for delivering the specified rental car to the specified location.
In accordance with the car rental system of the present invention, the user need not go to the car delivery agency to rent the car the user
