JP7750104B2 - Car rental management device and car rental management method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a car rental management device and a car rental management method that manage car rentals between an owner user who owns a vehicle and a rental user who rents that vehicle.

Patent Document 1 describes a peer-to-peer car rental support system that uses a "car service center" that provides a space for vehicle pickup and delivery and inspection and maintenance services between individuals, eliminating the hassle involved for the parties involved in peer-to-peer car rentals.

JP 2018-028850 A

In order to promote the purchase and use of vehicles, it is desirable to provide a platform that supports or manages peer-to-peer car rentals and make it an ongoing service. However, as peer-to-peer car rentals become more widespread, owners of vehicles used for peer-to-peer car rentals may not necessarily purchase new vehicles when the vehicles deteriorate. This is because vehicle owners are well aware of the convenience of peer-to-peer car rentals. Therefore, peer-to-peer car rental services may find it difficult to continue operating due to deterioration of the vehicles used for peer-to-peer car rentals.

The present invention aims to provide a car rental management device and method that can ensure the stable continuation of car rental services by encouraging owner-users and rental users to purchase vehicles for use in car rentals.

One aspect of the present invention is a car rental management device that manages car rentals between an owner-user who owns a vehicle and a rental user who rents a vehicle from the owner-user. This car rental management device includes a vehicle usage information acquisition unit and an incentive processing unit. The vehicle usage information acquisition unit acquires vehicle usage information, which is information related to the usage status of the vehicle in the car rental. Then, when the vehicle is rented to the rental user, the incentive processing unit grants the owner-user an incentive related to the level of preferential treatment in services provided by the vehicle manufacturer or dealer, based on the vehicle usage information. The vehicle usage information acquisition unit acquires at least the mileage, usage time, and/or number of uses of the vehicle in the car rental as vehicle usage information.

The present invention provides a car rental management device and a car rental management method that can ensure stable continuity of car rental services by encouraging owner-users and rental users to purchase vehicles for use in car rentals.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a car rental system. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of preferential services based on the incentives given. FIG. 3 is a graph showing vehicle maintenance costs. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the car rental management device. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the incentive granting process. FIG. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between points and ranks. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the distance charge billing process. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between rank and distance cost. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between ranks and preferential prices. FIG. 10 is a sequence chart showing the operation of the car rental management device when a car is rented. FIG. 11 is a sequence chart showing the operation of the car rental management device when an owner user or the like exercises an incentive. FIG. 12 is a sequence chart showing the operation of the car rental management device in the modified example.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Embodiment]
Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a car rental system 100. As shown in Fig. 1, the car rental system 100 is a system that supports and/or manages the rental of a vehicle 12 between an owner-user 10 and a rental user 11 using a car rental management device 13.

The rental of a vehicle 12 here includes both rental, in which the vehicle 12 is rented for a relatively short period of time, and leasing, in which the vehicle 12 is rented for a relatively long period of time. In this embodiment, the rental user 11 rents the vehicle 12 for a short period of time as needed. Furthermore, the rental of a vehicle 12 between an owner user 10 and a rental user 11 is sometimes referred to as car sharing, but hereinafter, such rental of a vehicle 12 will be referred to as car rental (or simply rental). Furthermore, hereinafter, the service provided by the car rental system 100 regarding car rental will be referred to as a car rental service (or simply rental service).

The owner-user 10 is a user of the car rental system 100 and an owner of the vehicle 12 that is made available for car rental. In other words, in a car rental service, the owner-user 10 is the lessor (lender) of the vehicle 12. The owner-user 10 expects to earn revenue by making the vehicle 12 available for car rental use when the owner-user 10 is not using the vehicle 12. In this embodiment, the owner-user 10 is an individual. However, in the car rental system 100, a corporation or other organization or institution can also be the owner-user 10.

In addition, the owner user 10 uses the car rental service using a device such as a computer or smartphone that he or she owns (hereinafter referred to as the owner terminal 14). That is, the owner user 10 uses the owner terminal 14 to enjoy the car rental service by accessing websites or application programs provided by the car rental management device 13 to support and/or manage the car rental service.

A rental user 11 is a user of the car rental system 100 who rents a vehicle 12 provided for use in the car rental service as needed. In other words, in a car rental service, the rental user 11 is the lessee (renter) of the vehicle 12. For example, the rental user 11 does not own a vehicle themselves, but instead rents a vehicle 12 when needed, thereby reducing the cost of vehicle ownership while enjoying the convenience of a vehicle. In this embodiment, the rental user 11 is an individual. However, in the car rental system 100, a corporation or other organization or institution can also be a rental user 11.

In addition, the rental user 11 uses the car rental service using a device such as a computer or smartphone (hereinafter referred to as the rental user terminal 15) that they own. That is, the rental user 11 enjoys the car rental service by using the rental user terminal 15 to access websites or application programs provided by the car rental management device 13 to support and/or manage the car rental service.

The car rental management device 13 manages car rentals between owner users 10 and rental users 11. The car rental management device 13 is composed of one or more computers (servers) and is programmed to perform predetermined processing in response to various processing requests input from the owner terminal 14 and/or rental user terminal 15, etc.

In principle, car rental is established through a contract between the owner-user 10 and the rental user 11. For this reason, the owner-user 10 and the rental user 11 would normally negotiate directly regarding the rental period of the vehicle 12, the rental fee and its delivery, the location of delivery of the vehicle 12, and other necessary arrangements. In the car rental system 100, the car rental management device 13 acts as an intermediary between the owner-user 10 and the rental user 11, supporting or mediating the above negotiations and arrangements, thereby providing a platform for safe and smooth car rentals.

Furthermore, the car rental management device 13 incorporates the vehicle 12 manufacturer/distributor 16 into the car rental service in addition to the owner-user 10 and rental user 11. This allows the car rental management device 13 to improve the continuity of the car rental service.

Manufacturer/distributor 16 uses one or more devices, such as computers (hereinafter referred to as manufacturer/distributor terminal 17), to access the car rental service. That is, manufacturer/distributor 16 provides or participates in the car rental service by using manufacturer/distributor terminal 17 to access websites or application programs provided by car rental management device 13 to support and/or manage the car rental service.

The car rental management device 13 then mediates the payment and receipt of the rental fee 18 when the rental user 11 rents the vehicle 12 from the owner-user 10. The car rental management device 13 then pays a portion of the rental fee 18 that the rental user 11 is required to pay to the manufacturer/distributor 16. For example, a predetermined percentage of the rental fee 18, or a predetermined amount (fixed amount), is paid to the manufacturer/distributor 16.

When the manufacturer/distributor 16 is the provider of the car rental service through the car rental system 100, the above-mentioned fee paid to the manufacturer/distributor 16 is, for example, a usage fee for the car rental system 100 (system usage fee). Also, when a third party is the provider of the car rental service through the car rental system 100, the above-mentioned fee paid to the manufacturer/distributor 16 is, for example, a participation fee for the car rental system 100 (system participation fee). In either case, the manufacturer/distributor 16 benefits from at least a system usage fee or system participation fee by being involved in the car rental system 100.

On the other hand, in exchange for receiving system usage fees, etc., the manufacturer/distributor 16 grants an incentive to at least the owner user 10 who provides the vehicle 12 for the rental service when the rental user 11 rents the vehicle 12 from the owner user 10. The process of granting the incentive is performed by the car rental management device 13 when the vehicle 12 is rented to the rental user 11. In this embodiment, "when the vehicle 12 is rented (to the rental user 11)" refers to when the vehicle 12 is rented to the rental user 11 and then returned to the owner user 10, thereby completing the rental of the vehicle 12.

The incentive referred to here is a reward related to the preferential treatment or degree of preferential treatment (hereinafter referred to as the degree of preferential treatment) in the service provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16 of the vehicle 12. The incentive also represents added value obtained by using the car rental service, particularly by providing the vehicle 12 rented out in the car rental service. For example, an incentive is one of the motivations for the owner-user 10 to purchase a new vehicle and use it in the car rental service when the vehicle 12 deteriorates. In other words, the incentive can also be seen as a reward based on contributions to maintaining the car rental service.

The actual value of the incentives may exceed the amount of the system usage fee or system participation fee that the manufacturer/distributor 16 receives directly. This is because the provision of incentives encourages the purchase of new vehicles (including new and used vehicles), allowing the manufacturer/distributor 16 to earn profits from the sale of new vehicles, etc.

The incentive is, for example, points (hereinafter referred to as monetary incentives) that can be used in place of money when enjoying services provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16 of the vehicle 12. The monetary incentive essentially forms a preferential treatment system that allows services provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16 of the vehicle 12 to be enjoyed at a discounted price or a reduced price. Therefore, the amount of the monetary incentive particularly directly determines the degree of preferential treatment in the services provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16 of the vehicle 12.

Furthermore, the incentive may be, for example, a status reward (hereinafter simply referred to as "rank") such as a rank status that determines the degree of preferential treatment received in services provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16 of the vehicle 12. The rank cannot be used directly to pay for services provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16 of the vehicle 12, but the degree of preferential treatment, such as a discount rate or discount rate, is determined by the rank.

In this embodiment, reward points (hereinafter simply referred to as points 19) for setting ranks are awarded as a primary incentive. Then, a rank corresponding to the accumulated amount of points 19 is awarded as a secondary incentive.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when a rental user 11 rents a vehicle 12 from an owner user 10, the manufacturer/distributor 16 grants the above-mentioned incentive not only to the owner user 10 but also to the rental user 11. This is because the rental user 11 can be considered to have contributed to maintaining the car rental service by creating demand for the vehicle 12.

In this embodiment, the incentives granted to the owner user 10 and the rental user 11 are both status reward ranks. However, there may be differences in the content of the incentives granted to the owner user 10 and the rental user 11, such as granting a monetary incentive and a status reward to the owner user 10 and only a monetary incentive to the rental user 11. Furthermore, even if the same type of incentive is granted to the owner user 10 and the rental user 11, there may be differences in the amount of incentive granted to the owner user 10 and the amount of incentive granted to the rental user 11.

The manufacturer/distributor 16 is the manufacturer 20 of the vehicle 12, the dealer 21 of the vehicle 12, or an alliance of these. The manufacturer 20 is, for example, an automobile manufacturer. The dealer 21 is, for example, a car dealer, who sells the vehicle 12 to consumers and also provides maintenance, inspections, trade-ins, and/or other services for the vehicle 12. The dealer 21 also includes used car dealers that purchase and/or sell used cars. To consumers such as owner-users 10, the manufacturer 20 and the dealer 21 are essentially one and the same. For this reason, in this embodiment, the manufacturer 20 and the dealer 21 are not distinguished from each other, and the manufacturer/distributor 16 refers to the entire entity that provides the vehicle 12 and other vehicles to the owner-user 10 and/or provides services related to the purchase and maintenance of the vehicle 12. Therefore, "services provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16 of the vehicle 12" refers to services provided by the manufacturer 20 and/or the dealer 21. Owner users 10 and rental users 11 can receive incentive-based benefits, for example, when purchasing a new vehicle different from vehicle 12 from manufacturer/distributor 16.

Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of a preferential service based on a granted incentive. As shown in Figure 2, when receiving a service from a manufacturer/distributor 16, the owner/user 10 presents the incentive he/she has earned by renting out the vehicle 12 in the car rental system 100. In this embodiment, specifically, the rank of the owner/user 10, which is the incentive, is determined based on the points 19 earned by renting out the vehicle 12. Then, based on that rank, a preferential price is calculated for the service that the owner/user 10 wishes to receive. The manufacturer/distributor 16 provides the service desired by the owner/user 10 at that preferential price. Hereinafter, a service provided at a preferential price based on an incentive will be referred to as a preferential price service.

In addition, when receiving a service from the manufacturer/distributor 16, the rental user 11 presents the incentive they have earned by renting the vehicle 12 in the car rental system 100. In this embodiment, specifically, the rank of the rental user 11, which is their incentive, is determined based on the points 19 they have earned by renting the vehicle 12. Then, based on that rank, a preferential price is calculated for the service that the rental user 11 wishes to receive. The manufacturer/distributor 16 provides the service desired by the rental user 11 at that preferential price.

In order to calculate the preferential price, information related to the usage status of the vehicle 12 in the car rental system 100 (hereinafter referred to as vehicle usage information) may be referenced. The vehicle usage information may include, for example, the mileage of the vehicle 12, the usage time, and/or the number of uses. In this embodiment, the vehicle usage information is referenced when calculating the preferential price for the owner-user 10.

Note that when the vehicle 12 is being used in the car rental system 100, all or part of the vehicle usage information may be counted without taking into account specific user information. This is to reduce the number of times the vehicle 12 is unused (for example, simply sitting in a parking lot and not being used) and to particularly promote the use of the vehicle 12. In this embodiment, user information is not taken into account when counting the mileage and usage time of the vehicle 12. That is, in this embodiment, no distinction is made between the mileage when the rental user 11 rents the vehicle 12 (hereinafter referred to as rental mileage) and the mileage when the owner user 10 uses the vehicle 12 himself (hereinafter referred to as owner mileage). Therefore, the mileage of the vehicle 12 is the sum of the owner mileage and the rental mileage. As with the mileage described above, usage time is also counted without distinguishing between user information.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the number of uses, which is part of the vehicle usage information, also takes into account user information. That is, in this embodiment, a distinction is made between the number of times the vehicle 12 is used by the owner user 10 (owner use count) and the number of times the vehicle 12 is used by the rental user 11 (hereinafter referred to as rental count). The number of uses used in calculating the preferential price is the rental count. This is to particularly promote use of the car rental system 100.

For ease of explanation, the vehicle usage information used in calculating the preferential price for the owner-user 10 will be the mileage of the vehicle 12.

In addition, rental usage information, which is information related to the usage status of the car rental system 100, may be referenced to calculate the preferential price. Rental usage information includes, for example, the distance traveled in the rented vehicle 12 (rental mileage), the time traveled in the rented vehicle 12 (rental mileage), and/or the number of times the car rental system 100 has been used (number of rentals). In this embodiment, the rental usage information is referenced when calculating the preferential price for the rental user 11. However, if the owner-user 10 is also the rental user 11 for a vehicle other than their own vehicle 12, the rental usage information may also be referenced when calculating the preferential price for the owner-user 10.

The above-mentioned preferential price is applied, for example, when purchasing a new vehicle from a manufacturer/seller 16. That is, one example of a preferential price service is a new vehicle sales service. For example, by purchasing a vehicle at a preferential price from a manufacturer/seller 16 participating in the car rental system 100, owner-users 10 and rental users 11 can purchase a new vehicle at a lower price than if they purchased it from other manufacturers/sellers. Furthermore, by participating in the car rental system 100 and providing incentives to owner-users 10 and rental users 11, the manufacturer/seller 16 benefits by increasing the possibility of selling a new vehicle to the owner-users 10 and rental users 11.

In addition, in this embodiment, the vehicle 12 used in the car rental service is a distance-charging vehicle. A distance-charging vehicle is a vehicle for which the vehicle owner is required to pay an additional fee based on the distance traveled to the manufacturer/distributor 16 in addition to the purchase price of the vehicle. Hereinafter, the amount of the additional fee based on the distance traveled will be referred to as the distance charge. Furthermore, the distance charge is paid, for example, on a monthly basis.

In this embodiment, the owner-user 10 purchases the vehicle 12 under a condition or contract (hereinafter referred to as a distance charging contract) that requires the owner-user 10 to pay a distance charge to the manufacturer/distributor 16 every month after purchasing the vehicle 12, and purchases the vehicle 12 at a lower price than the price would be if such a contract were not concluded. Furthermore, the sale of the vehicle 12 under the distance charging contract is a form of service provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16. Therefore, the owner-user 10 can receive preferential treatment, such as a reduction in the distance charge, depending on the "rank," which is an incentive obtained when renting out the vehicle 12 in the car rental system 100.

Figure 3 is a graph showing the maintenance costs of vehicle 12.

Figure 3(A) is a graph showing the relationship between mileage (km/month) and distance charge (yen/month). The solid line in Figure 3(A) is a graph that schematically represents the distance charge when the owner-user 10 has the lowest rank. The dashed line in Figure 3(A) is a graph that schematically represents the distance charge when the owner-user 10 has a high rank.

For example, if the owner-user 10 uses the vehicle 12 solely without renting it out in the car rental system 100, the incentive rank will be the lowest. On the other hand, if the owner-user 10 rents out the vehicle 12 in the car rental system 100 and the rental user 11 uses the vehicle 12 in addition to the owner-user 10, the mileage of the vehicle 12 increases, but the incentive rank will be higher. For this reason, as shown in Figure 3(A), the mileage charge increases, for example, in proportion to the mileage, but the proportionality coefficient (slope of the graph) decreases according to the incentive rank. Therefore, if the owner-user 10 purchases the vehicle 12 under a mileage-charging contract, by renting out the vehicle 12 in the car rental system 100 and increasing the mileage of the vehicle 12, the owner-user 10 can earn revenue while further reducing the maintenance costs of the vehicle 12. This motivates the owner-user 10 to actively rent out the vehicle 12 through the car rental system 100. This also motivates the owner-user 10, when purchasing a new vehicle due to deterioration of the vehicle 12, to purchase the new vehicle again under a distance-charging contract and use it in the car rental system 100.

Figure 3(B) is a graph showing cumulative costs (yen) against the elapsed time (months) since the purchase of the vehicle. The initial cost α is the price of the vehicle 12 when it is purchased without a distance-charging contract. The initial cost β is the price of the vehicle 12 when it is purchased under a distance-charging contract. The solid line in Figure 3(B) is a graph that schematically represents the cumulative costs when the owner-user 10 has the lowest rank. The dashed line in Figure 3(B) is a graph that schematically represents the cumulative costs when the owner-user 10 continues to maintain a predetermined high rank. For example, if the owner-user 10 does not rent out the vehicle 12 in the car rental system 100 and uses the vehicle 12 solely for himself, the rank, which is an incentive, will be the lowest, as in Figure 3(A). Also, as in Figure 3(A), when a vehicle 12 is rented out in the car rental system 100 and the vehicle 12 is used not only by the owner user 10 but also by the rental user 11, the mileage of the vehicle 12 increases, but the rank, which is an incentive, also increases.

As shown in FIG. 3B , if the owner-user 10 purchases the vehicle 12 under a distance-charging contract, the owner-user 10 can maintain the vehicle 12 at a low cost for at least a certain period of time (e.g., until T ₁ month has passed). As the mileage of the vehicle 12 increases by renting out the vehicle 12 through the car rental system 100, the maintenance costs of the vehicle 12 increase, in principle, due to the distance-charging amount. On the other hand, as the mileage of the vehicle 12 increases by renting out the vehicle 12 through the car rental system 100, the rank, which is an incentive, increases, as shown by the dashed line. Therefore, if the owner-user 10 purchases the vehicle 12 under a distance-charging contract, the owner-user 10 can earn revenue by renting out the vehicle 12 through the car rental system 100 and increasing the mileage of the vehicle 12, while also reducing the maintenance costs of the vehicle 12 over a long period of time. This motivates the owner-user 10 to actively rent out the vehicle 12 through the car rental system 100. This also motivates the owner-user 10 to purchase a new vehicle due to deterioration of the vehicle 12, etc., and to use the new vehicle again under a distance-charging contract in order to use it in the car rental system 100.

The specific configuration of the car rental management device 13 that constitutes the above-mentioned car rental system 100 is described below.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the car rental management device 13. As shown in Figure 4, the car rental management device 13 includes a registration unit 41, an information output unit 42, a settlement unit 43, a vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44, a rental usage information acquisition unit 45, an incentive granting unit 46, a distance charge amount request unit 47, and a preferential price calculation unit 48.

The registration unit 41 performs registration processing to register various types of information based on requests to register or change various types of information (hereinafter referred to as information registration requests) from the owner terminal 14, rental user terminal 15, or manufacturer/distributor terminal 17.

For example, when the owner terminal 14 requests the registration of, change to, or deletion of information about the owner user 10 (hereinafter referred to as "owner user information"), the registration unit 41 executes a registration process to register the information in a registration information database (not shown). The owner user information includes, for example, the owner user's 10 account information, information about the vehicle 12 to be used in the car rental system 100, a bank account to be used for transferring the rental fee 18, and a credit card to be used for paying the mileage fee. The information about the vehicle 12 to be used in the car rental system 100 includes, for example, the model of the vehicle 12, the period for which the vehicle 12 can be rented, the rental fee 18 (particularly the portion of the fee received by the owner user 10), the delivery method when the vehicle 12 is rented, and other rental conditions. When the owner user 10 purchases the vehicle 12 from the manufacturer/distributor 16, the manufacturer/distributor 16 may register the owner user information on the owner user's behalf. For this reason, when the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17 requests the registration of some or all of the owner-user information, the registration unit 41 registers that information in the registration information database. Furthermore, when the rental user terminal 15 requests the new registration, change, or deletion of information about the rental user 11 (hereinafter referred to as rental user information), the registration unit 41 registers this information in the registration information database. Rental user information includes, for example, the rental user 11's account information and information such as the bank account or credit card used to pay the rental fee 18. Hereinafter, the various types of information registered in the registration information database will be referred to as registration information.

The information output unit 42 performs information output processing to output registration information related to various types of information based on a request for output of the various types of information (hereinafter referred to as an information output request) from the rental user terminal 15, owner terminal 14, or manufacturer/distributor terminal 17.

For example, when the rental user terminal 15 inquires about rentable vehicles 12 that meet specific conditions desired by the rental user 11, the information output unit 42 outputs registration information (hereinafter referred to as registered vehicle information) about vehicles 12 that meet those conditions to the rental user terminal 15. In other words, the rental user 11 can use the rental user terminal 15 to search for vehicles 12 that meet their desired conditions. The specific conditions desired by the rental user 11 include, for example, the rental period, vehicle type, rental fee 18, and/or other rental-related conditions. Furthermore, when an inquiry is made about owner-user information from the owner terminal 14 or manufacturer/distributor terminal 17, the information output unit 42 outputs the registration information to the terminal that made the information registration request.

The settlement unit 43 executes settlement processing to settle rental expenses when a billing processing request is received from the owner terminal 14 or a payment processing request is received from the rental user terminal 15. A billing processing request is a request for settlement processing from the owner user 10, and is input by the owner user 10, for example, when the rental and return of the vehicle 12 is complete. A payment processing request is a request for settlement processing from the rental user 11, and is input by the rental user 11, for example, when the rental and return of the vehicle 12 is complete.

The settlement unit 43 presents the rental user 11 with the total amount of the fee payable to the owner-user 10 and the fee payable to the manufacturer/distributor 16 (system usage fee or system participation fee) as the rental fee 18, and performs a withdrawal process to debit this amount from the rental user's 11 bank account or credit card. The settlement unit 43 then transfers a portion of the rental fee 18 (system usage fee or system participation fee) to the manufacturer/distributor 16's bank account, etc., and performs a transfer process to transfer the remainder to the owner-user's 10's bank account, etc.

The vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44 executes a vehicle usage information acquisition process to acquire vehicle usage information for the vehicle 12 at least when the vehicle 12 is rented. This is the timing for granting an incentive to the owner-user 10 for renting the vehicle 12. In this embodiment, the vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44 also acquires vehicle usage information for the vehicle 12 when a request for billing processing for the mileage charge amount (hereinafter referred to as a billing processing request) is received from the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17. In this embodiment, the vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44 also acquires vehicle usage information for the vehicle 12 when an inquiry is received from the owner terminal 14 or the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17 regarding the price of a service provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16. These timings are the timings for granting (updating) an incentive to the owner-user 10 based on vehicle usage information such as mileage, and for calculating a preferential price.

The vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44 can acquire vehicle usage information directly from the vehicle 12 by communicating with the vehicle 12. If direct communication with the vehicle 12 is not possible, the vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44 acquires vehicle usage information for the vehicle 12 indirectly via the manufacturer/distributor 16 (manufacturer/distributor terminal 17) or the owner/user 10 (owner terminal 14). The vehicle usage information is used to update the rental usage information of the rental user 11. The vehicle usage information is also input to the incentive granting unit 46 and used when granting (updating) incentives to the owner/user 10.

The rental use information acquisition unit 45 updates the rental use information of the rental user 11 when the rental user 11 rents the vehicle 12. The rental use information acquisition unit 45 also executes a rental use information acquisition process to acquire the rental use information when the incentive granting unit 46 or the like uses the rental use information. For example, the rental use information acquisition unit 45 acquires the rental use information when granting (updating) an incentive to the rental user 11 for renting the vehicle 12.

The rental usage information acquisition unit 45 also acquires rental usage information for the rental user 11 when the rental user terminal 15 or the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17 inquires about the price of a service provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16. This is the timing when the preferential price for the rental user 11 is calculated. The rental usage information is recorded for each rental user 11 in a rental usage information database (not shown), and when the vehicle 12 is rented, it is updated appropriately based on the fact that the vehicle 12 has been rented and vehicle usage information, etc. The rental usage information acquisition unit 45 acquires rental usage information by referencing the rental usage information database.

The incentive granting unit 46 executes an incentive granting process to grant an incentive to the owner user 10 based on the vehicle usage information. The incentive granting unit 46 also grants an incentive to the rental user 11 based on the rental usage information.

In this embodiment, the incentive granting unit 46 grants an incentive to the owner user 10 of the vehicle 12 when the vehicle 12 is rented. Similarly, the incentive granting unit 46 grants an incentive to the rental user 11 who rents the vehicle 12 when the vehicle 12 is rented.

In addition, when the incentive granting unit 46 receives a request from the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17 to process a billing process for the distance charge amount for the vehicle 12 (hereinafter referred to as a billing process request), it grants (updates) an incentive to the owner/user 10 based on the vehicle usage information. In addition, when the incentive granting unit 46 receives a request from the owner terminal 14 or the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17 to inquire about the price of a service provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16 (hereinafter referred to as a price inquiry request), it grants (updates) an incentive to the owner/user 10 based on the vehicle usage information.

Figure 5 is a flowchart of the incentive granting process. As shown in Figure 5, the incentive granting process includes point processing in step S10 and rank processing in step S11.

The point processing in step S10 is a process of awarding points 19, which are a primary incentive, to the owner user 10 and/or rental user 11 for renting the vehicle 12. The points 19 awarded to the owner user 10 are determined based on the vehicle usage information of the vehicle 12. The points 19 awarded to the rental user 11 are determined based on the rental usage information of that rental user 11.

If it is predetermined that points 19 will expire after a predetermined period of time (for example, one year after they are awarded), the point processing in step S10 resets the points 19 that have passed the predetermined period of time. If it is predetermined that the rank, which is an incentive, will be determined based on the total number of points 19 awarded over a predetermined period of time (for example, the past year), the point processing in step S10 calculates the total number of points 19 awarded over that predetermined period of time.

The rank processing in step S11 is a process of determining (updating) a rank, which is a secondary incentive, based on the total number of points 19 (hereinafter referred to as total points) held by the owner user 10 and/or rental user 11 at the time the rank processing is performed. The rank is the status of the owner user 10 and/or rental user 11, and is set in stages according to the total points.

Figure 6 is a graph showing the relationship between points 19 and rank. As shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, ranks are set, for example, to six levels depending on the total points held at the time of rank processing. In this embodiment, "Rank 1" is the lowest rank. For example, if the owner user 10 continues to use the vehicle 12 solely by himself and the mileage of the vehicle 12 is short, the owner user 10's rank is "Rank 1." In this embodiment, "Rank 6" is the highest rank. For example, if the owner user 10 uses the vehicle 12 to a considerable extent and the vehicle 12 is also used to a considerable extent by the rental user 11, resulting in a very long mileage of the vehicle 12, the owner user 10's rank will reach "Rank 6." Note that in Figure 6, the rank increases when the total points increase by a certain amount, but the total points required to rank up to the next rank may differ for each rank. For example, the total points required to rank up may be set higher the higher the rank.

Furthermore, the rank of the rental user 11 is set in multiple stages according to the total points of the rental user 11, similar to the rank of the owner user 10 described above. However, the ranks set for the owner user 10 and the rental user 11 may be set according to different rank-up criteria. Therefore, for example, even if they have the same total points, the owner user 10 may be more likely to rank up than the rental user 11 and may be given a higher rank.

The relationship between points 19 and ranks is predetermined by the manufacturer/distributor 16 and stored in a table or other format by the incentive granting unit 46. Therefore, the incentive granting unit 46 assigns (updates) a rank to the owner user 10 or rental user 11 by referencing the table or the like based on the points 19 held by the owner user 10 or rental user 11.

When the distance charge billing unit 47 (see Figure 4) receives a billing processing request from the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17, it calculates the distance charge for the vehicle 12 and executes a distance charge billing process to bill this amount to the owner-user 10. The distance charge billing process is performed based on the rank, which is the owner-user 10's incentive. The distance charge billing unit 47 can also be described as a distance charge calculation unit that calculates the distance charge amount.

Figure 7 is a flowchart of the distance charge billing process. As shown in Figure 7, the distance charge billing process includes a distance unit price setting process in step S21 and a billing amount calculation process in step S22.

The distance unit price setting process in step S21 is a process for determining the unit price to be charged for the distance traveled by the vehicle 12 (hereinafter referred to as the distance unit price). The distance unit price is determined for a predetermined period (billing period) based on the rank of the owner-user 10. In this embodiment, the distance charge amount is charged monthly. Therefore, the distance unit price is determined monthly.

Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between rank and distance cost. As shown in Figure 8, the higher the rank of the owner-user 10, the lower the distance cost is set. Furthermore, generally, the longer the mileage of the vehicle 12, the higher the rank of the owner-user 10. Therefore, the longer the mileage of the vehicle 12, the lower the distance cost. Therefore, the more the owner-user 10 and/or the rental user 11 drive the vehicle 12, the lower the distance charge can be.

The relationship between rank and distance cost is predetermined by the manufacturer/distributor 16 and stored in the distance charge invoice unit 47 in the form of a table or other format. Therefore, the distance charge invoice unit 47 sets the distance cost based on the rank of the owner-user 10 by referencing the table or the like.

The billing amount calculation process in step S22 (see Figure 7) calculates the distance charge amount, which is the amount billed to the owner-user 10, based on the distance unit price. In the billing amount calculation process, the distance charge amount for the billing period is calculated by multiplying the vehicle 12's travel distance during the billing period by the distance unit price. The distance charge amount billing unit 47 executes the process of billing the owner-user 10 for the calculated distance charge amount.

When a price inquiry request is received from the owner terminal 14 or the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17 for a service provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16, the preferential price calculation unit 48 (see Figure 4) calculates the preferential price of the service based on the incentive of the owner user 10. In this embodiment, the preferential price for the owner user 10 is determined based on the rank of the owner user 10. Similarly, when a price inquiry request is received from the rental user terminal 15 or the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17 for a service provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16, the preferential price calculation unit 48 calculates the preferential price of the service based on the incentive of the rental user 11. In this embodiment, the preferential price for the rental user 11 is determined based on the rank of the rental user 11.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between rank and preferential price. FIG. 9(A) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between rank and preferential price _P1 for a service for which the owner-user 10 or rental user 11 pays money to the manufacturer/distributor 16. For example, when the owner-user 10 or rental user 11 purchases a new vehicle 12 from the manufacturer/distributor 16, the preferential price _P1 is set for the purchase price as shown in FIG. 9(A). Specifically, the preferential price P1 is set so that it decreases as the rank of the owner-user 10 or rental user 11 increases. Therefore, the difference _Δ1 between the preferential price _P1 and the list price or other base price, which is the price in the _absence of a preferential treatment based on an incentive, increases as the rank of the owner-user 10 or rental user 11 increases. In other words, the higher the rank of the owner-user 10 or rental user 11, the cheaper the service for which they pay money to the manufacturer/distributor 16.

FIG. 9(B) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between rank and the preferential price _P2 for a service in which the owner user 10 or rental user 11 receives payment from the manufacturer/distributor 16. For example, when the owner user 10 sells the vehicle 12 to the manufacturer/distributor 16, the preferential price _P2 is set for the selling price as shown in FIG. 9(B). Specifically, the preferential price P2 is set so that it increases as the rank of the owner user ₁₀ or rental user 11 increases. Therefore, the difference _Δ2 between the list price or other reference price and the preferential price _P2 increases as the rank of the owner user 10 or rental user 11 increases. In other words, the higher the rank of the owner user 10 or rental user 11, the higher the price at which the owner user 10 or rental user 11 can sell the vehicle to the manufacturer/distributor 16.

The operation of the car rental management device 13 configured as described above is explained below.

Figure 10 is a sequence chart showing the operation of the car rental management device 13 when renting a car. As shown in Figure 10, there are two phases, Phase 1 Ph1 and Phase 2 Ph2, before car rental is performed in the car rental system 100.

In the first phase Ph1, advance preparations are made for the owner user 10 and rental user 11 to use the car rental system 100. Specifically, in the first phase Ph1, when an information registration request for new registration of owner user information, etc. is received from the owner terminal 14 or the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17, the car rental management device 13 registers the owner user information using the registration unit 41. Also, when an information registration request for new registration of rental user information, etc. is received from the rental user terminal 15, the car rental management device 13 registers the rental user information using the registration unit 41.

In the second phase Ph2, the owner user 10 rents a vehicle 12 to the rental user 11, and incentives are provided to the owner user 10 and the rental user 11, respectively. Specifically, upon receiving an information output request from the rental user terminal 15 regarding vehicles, etc. that meet the rental user's 11 desired conditions, the car rental management device 13 outputs, via the information output unit 42, registered vehicle information regarding one or more rentable vehicles 12, etc. that meet the desired conditions to the rental user terminal 15. This allows the rental user 11 to search for a vehicle that meets the desired conditions from among the multiple vehicles registered in the car rental system 100.

Then, the rental user 11 selects one of the vehicles that meets the desired conditions from the rental user terminal 15 and applies for rental. Here, it is assumed that the rental user 11 applies for rental of the owner user 10's vehicle 12. When the rental application for the vehicle 12 is made from the rental user terminal 15, the car rental management device 13 notifies the owner terminal 14 of this. After that, when the owner user 10 accepts the application for rental of the vehicle 12 from the owner terminal 14, the car rental management device 13 notifies the rental user terminal 15 of this. This concludes a contract for the rental of the vehicle 12 between the owner user 10 and the rental user 11.

Once a contract for the rental of the vehicle 12 has been concluded in this manner, the owner user 10 rents out the vehicle 12 by handing it over to the rental user 11 at a predetermined time and place determined through negotiations, etc. The rental user 11 then uses the rented vehicle 12 for a predetermined period determined through negotiations, etc., and then returns the vehicle 12 to the owner user 10 at a predetermined time and place determined through negotiations, etc.

When the vehicle 12 is returned, the owner-user 10 sends a billing processing request from the owner terminal 14 to the car rental management device 13 to settle the rental fee 18. The rental user 11 may also send a payment processing request from the rental user terminal 15 to settle the rental fee 18. Upon receiving the billing processing request or payment processing request, the car rental management device 13 executes the settlement process using the settlement unit 43. As a result, the rental user 11 pays the rental fee 18. A portion of the rental fee 18 paid by the rental user 11 is sent to the manufacturer/distributor 16, and the remaining portion is paid to the owner-user 10 as revenue. This completes the car rental between the owner-user 10 and the rental user 11.

When the rental of the vehicle 12 is completed, the car rental management device 13 acquires vehicle usage information of the rented vehicle 12 via the vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44. The car rental management device 13 then grants an incentive to the owner-user 10 based on the vehicle usage information via the incentive granting unit 46. Similarly, when the rental of the vehicle 12 is completed, the car rental management device 13 acquires the rental usage information via the rental usage information acquisition unit 45. The car rental management device 13 then grants an incentive to the rental user 11 based on the rental usage information via the incentive granting unit 46. In this embodiment, the incentives to the owner-user 10 and the rental user 11 are granted substantially simultaneously. Furthermore, the incentives granted to the owner-user 10 and the rental user 11 are primarily points 19, and are essentially statuses (ranks) determined by the total amount of points 19.

Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the car rental management device 13 when an owner-user 10 or the like exercises an incentive. As shown in Figure 11, there are typically three scenes in the third phase Ph3, in which an owner-user 10 or the like exercises an incentive.

The first scene Ph3a is a scene in which the incentive granted to the owner-user 10 for the distance charge for the vehicle 12 is exercised. In this scene Ph3a, upon receiving a charge processing request from the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17, the car rental management device 13 first acquires vehicle usage information for the vehicle 12 using the vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44. Next, the car rental management device 13 grants (updates) an incentive to the owner-user 10 using the incentive granting unit 46 based on the vehicle usage information. This is because, after the incentive was granted to the owner-user 10 when the vehicle 12 was rented, the owner-user 10 may have used the vehicle 12 himself and extended the mileage, etc. Then, the car rental management device 13 executes a distance charge claim process using the distance charge claiming unit 47 based on the updated incentive (rank) for the owner-user 10. Therefore, the owner-user 10 is charged a distance charge for the vehicle 12, which is a distance-charged vehicle, reduced in accordance with the incentive.

The second scene Ph3b is a scene in which the incentive granted to the owner-user 10 is exercised in relation to the price of a service provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16. In the second scene Ph3b, upon receiving a price inquiry request from the owner terminal 14 or the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17, the car rental management device 13 acquires vehicle usage information for the vehicle 12 via the vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44. The car rental management device 13 then grants (updates) an incentive to the owner-user 10 via the incentive granting unit 46 based on the vehicle usage information. This is because, after the incentive was granted to the owner-user 10 due to the rental of the vehicle 12, the owner-user 10 may have used the vehicle 12 himself and extended the mileage, etc. The car rental management device 13 then calculates a preferential price based on the updated incentive (rank) of the owner-user 10 via the preferential price calculation unit 48. Therefore, the owner-user 10 can receive the service provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16 at a preferential price corresponding to the incentive. For example, when the owner-user 10 purchases a new vehicle different from the vehicle 12 from the manufacturer/seller 16, the owner-user 10 can purchase the vehicle at a more favorable price than if the owner-user 10 did not have the incentive. The same applies when the owner-user 10 receives services such as repairs and inspections of the vehicle 12 from the manufacturer/seller 16.

The third scene Ph3c is a scene in which the incentive granted to the rental user 11 is used to pay the price of a service provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16. In the third scene Ph3c, upon receiving a price inquiry request from the rental user terminal 15 or the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17, the car rental management device 13 acquires the rental usage information of the rental user 11 using the rental usage information acquisition unit 45. Next, the car rental management device 13 calculates a preferential price based on the rental user 11's incentive (rank) using the preferential price calculation unit 48. Therefore, the rental user 11 can receive the service provided by the manufacturer/distributor 16 at a preferential price according to the incentive. For example, when the rental user 11 purchases a new vehicle from the manufacturer/distributor 16, they can purchase it at a preferential price compared to if they did not have the incentive.

As described above, in this embodiment, the car rental management device 13 allows the manufacturer/distributor 16 to participate in car rentals between the owner-user 10 and the rental user 11, and provides incentives to the owner-user 10 and the rental user 11 for the rental of the vehicle 12. This incentive allows the owner-user 10 to purchase a new vehicle from the manufacturer/distributor 16 at a preferential price when the vehicle 12 deteriorates. Furthermore, by providing the newly purchased vehicle for use in the car rental system 100 again, the owner-user 10 not only expects to earn revenue from car rentals, but the incentive also reduces the maintenance costs of the new vehicle. This encourages the owner-user 10 to proactively provide new vehicles for use in the car rental system 100. Therefore, the car rental management device 13 can continue the car rental service provided by the car rental system 100 more stably, even if the vehicle 12 provided for use in the car rental system 100 deteriorates.

[Modification]
In the above embodiment, the owner-user 10 and the rental user 11 directly rent and borrow the vehicle 12, but this is not limited to this. Since the manufacturer/seller 16 participates in the car rental system 100, it is desirable for the manufacturer/seller 16 to more actively support the car rental between the owner-user 10 and the rental user 11.

Figure 12 is a sequence chart showing the operation of the car rental management device 13 in this modified example. As shown in Figure 12, the operation of the car rental management device 13 from the time the rental user's 11 application and the owner-user's 10 approval are met and a contract for the rental of the vehicle 12 is concluded between the owner-user 10 and the rental user 11 is the same as in the above embodiment. However, once a contract for the rental of the vehicle 12 is concluded, in this modified example, the car rental management device 13 automatically or in response to a request from the owner-user 10 or rental user 11 sends an assistance request to the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17. The assistance request requests assistance from the manufacturer/distributor 16 regarding the delivery, inspection, repair, etc. of the vehicle 12.

In this modified example, upon receiving a request for assistance, the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17 executes assistance arrangement processing. The assistance arrangement processing is, for example, a process of arranging for a staff member 50 of the manufacturer/distributor 16 (e.g., a car dealer 21) to assist the owner/user 10 and rental user 11 in car rental. The arranged staff member 50 of the manufacturer/distributor 16 then receives the vehicle 12 from the owner/user 10 for car rental, for example. The staff member 50 also checks the condition of the vehicle 12 (damage, etc.) as necessary. The staff member 50 then delivers the vehicle 12 to the rental user 11 on behalf of the owner/user 10 at a predetermined time and place determined through negotiation, etc. After the rental user 11 has used the rented vehicle 12 for a predetermined period determined through negotiation, etc., the staff member 50 collects the vehicle from the rental user 11 on behalf of the owner/user 10 at a predetermined time and place determined through negotiation, etc. The staff member 50 then checks the condition of the vehicle 12 (for scratches, etc.) as necessary and returns the vehicle 12 to the owner-user 10.

In this way, the convenience of the car rental system 100 is improved by the manufacturer/distributor 16 having its staff 50 actively support car rentals. For example, even if the owner-user 10 is not present when the vehicle 12 is rented or returned, the vehicle 12 can be rented and returned properly. Furthermore, owner-users 10 or rental users 11 who do not prefer to hand over the vehicle 12 in person can also more easily use car rentals through the car rental system 100.

In the above-described modified example, the staff member 50 assisting with the car rental can proceed with the settlement process on behalf of the owner-user 10 and/or rental user 11. For example, the staff member 50 assisting with the car rental can issue a settlement process request using the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17 instead of a billing process request and a payment process request. In this case, the car rental management device 13 executes the settlement process, etc., based on the settlement process request from the manufacturer/distributor terminal 17.

In the above embodiment and variant examples, the vehicle 12 used in the car rental system 100 is a distance-charging vehicle, but the vehicle 12 may also be a vehicle purchased in a normal manner without a distance-charging contract. If the vehicle 12 is a normal vehicle, the processes in the first scene Pha3 (see Figure 11) related to the distance-charging amount are omitted.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment and modified examples, all or part of the vehicle usage information is calculated without taking user information into consideration, but this is not limited to this, and vehicle usage information may be calculated for each user. For example, in the above embodiment and modified examples, the mileage of vehicle 12 is the sum of the rental mileage and the owner mileage, but, for example, the rental mileage and the owner mileage may be distinguished and the rental mileage may be used as vehicle usage information. In this case, the vehicle usage information acquisition process and incentive granting process executed in the second scene Ph3b are omitted.

As described above, the car rental management device 13 according to the above embodiment and modified examples manages car rentals between an owner-user 10 who owns a vehicle 12 and a rental user 11 who rents the vehicle 12 from the owner-user 10. The car rental management device 13 includes a vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44 and an incentive granting unit 46. The vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44 acquires vehicle usage information, which is information related to the usage status of the vehicle 12 during car rental. When the vehicle 12 is rented to the rental user 11, the incentive granting unit 46 grants the owner-user 10 an incentive related to the level of preferential treatment in services provided by the manufacturer 20 or dealer 21 of the vehicle 12 based on the vehicle usage information.

In this way, the car rental management device 13 provides incentives to the owner-user 10 for car rentals between the owner-user 10 and rental user 11 based on vehicle usage information. The owner-user 10 not only earns revenue by renting out the vehicle 12, but also enjoys additional benefits, such as the ability to purchase and maintain a new vehicle at a price lower than the standard price, thanks to this incentive. Therefore, when the vehicle 12 deteriorates, the owner-user 10 is more likely to offer a new vehicle for use in the car rental system 100 again. Therefore, the car rental system 100 provided by the car rental management device 13 avoids a shortage of rental vehicles 12, making it easier to continue providing stable car rental services.

Furthermore, because the incentives granted allow owner-users 10 to purchase new vehicles at low prices, they can reasonably purchase and maintain so-called luxury cars, electric cars, and the like. As a result, manufacturers/distributors 16 benefit from increased opportunities to sell new vehicles, particularly luxury cars and electric cars, to owner-users 10 who have been granted incentives. Furthermore, when owner-users 10 offer new vehicles, including luxury cars and electric cars, for use in the car rental system 100, rental users 11 have the opportunity to use luxury cars and electric cars. Manufacturers/distributors 16 also benefit from increased opportunities to sell new vehicles, particularly luxury cars and electric cars, to rental users 11. In other words, with the car rental service provided by the car rental management device 13, owner-users 10, rental users 11, and manufacturers/distributors 16 all benefit from using the car rental system 100.

The car rental management device 13 according to the above embodiment and modified example includes a rental usage information acquisition unit 45 that acquires rental usage information, which is information relating to the car rental usage status by the rental user 11. The incentive granting unit 46 then grants incentives to the rental user 11 based on the rental usage information.

In this way, by providing incentives not only to owner-users 10 but also to rental users 11, rental users 11 can also enjoy additional benefits, such as being able to purchase and maintain new vehicles at prices lower than the standard price. Rental users 11 who purchase new vehicles can then use the new vehicles in the car rental system 100 and are expected to become owner-users 10. Therefore, in the car rental system 100 provided by the car rental management device 13 described above, there is no shortage of rental vehicles 12, making it particularly easy to continue the car rental service in a stable manner.

In the car rental management device 13 according to the above embodiment and modified example, the vehicle usage information acquisition unit 44 acquires at least the mileage, usage time, and/or number of uses of the vehicle 12 during car rental as vehicle usage information. This information can be evaluated as the degree of contribution to the continuation of the car rental service. For this reason, by including the above various information as vehicle usage information, incentives are provided that are easy to understand for owner-users 10 and the like, and appropriate incentives are provided. For this reason, the car rental system 100 provided by the car rental management device 13 makes it particularly easy to continue the car rental service stably.

In the car rental management device 13 according to the above embodiment and variant, the incentive granting unit 46 grants incentives that can be used when purchasing a vehicle different from vehicle 12 from at least the manufacturer 20 or dealer 21. In this way, the car rental system 100 provided by the car rental management device 13 grants incentives that can be used when purchasing a new vehicle. As a result, there is a higher chance that the new vehicle will be made available for use in the car rental system 100, making it easier to continue the car rental service in a particularly stable manner.

In the car rental management device 13 according to the above embodiment and modified example, the incentive granting unit 46 grants, as an incentive, a rank status (rank) that determines the degree of preferential treatment in the services provided by the manufacturer 20 or distributor 21. This allows the owner-user 10 and/or rental user 11 to receive preferential treatment in various services. This can motivate the owner-user 10 and/or rental user 11 to continue using car rentals through the car rental system 100. Therefore, car rentals through the car rental system 100 provided by the above car rental management device 13 are promoted, making it easier to continue the car rental service stably.

The car rental management device 13 according to the above embodiment and modified example further includes a preferential price calculation unit 48 that calculates a preferential price for the service provided by the manufacturer 20 or dealer 21 based on the incentive. In this way, the car rental management device 13 calculates (provides) the preferential price, allowing the owner-user 10 and/or rental user 11 to easily exercise the incentive. Furthermore, the manufacturer/dealer 16 can also easily obtain the preferential price, allowing them to provide services smoothly.

In the above embodiments and variations, the vehicle 12 is a distance-charging vehicle, which requires payment of an additional fee based on the distance traveled to the manufacturer 20 or dealer 21 in addition to the purchase price of the vehicle 12. The car rental management device 13 in the above embodiments and variations includes a distance-charging calculation unit (distance-charging claim unit 47) that calculates the distance-charging amount, which is an additional fee, based on an incentive. In this way, when the vehicle 12 used in the car rental system 100 is a distance-charging vehicle, making it possible to exercise an incentive on the distance-charging amount also particularly promotes the purchase of new vehicles and their use in the car rental system 100. As a result, the car rental service provided by the car rental system 100 provided by the car rental management device 13 is particularly likely to be continued stably.

In the above embodiment and variants, the distance charge calculation unit (distance charge claim unit 47) calculates a distance charge that is reduced in accordance with the incentive. In this way, when the distance charge is reduced in accordance with the incentive, owner-users 10 and the like are motivated to purchase a distance-charged vehicle as a new vehicle and use it in the car rental system 100. Therefore, the car rental service provided by the car rental system 100 is likely to continue in a particularly stable manner.

The above describes embodiments of the present invention, but the configurations described in the above embodiments and each modified example only represent some of the application examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

10: Owner/User, 11: Rental User, 12: Vehicle, 13: Car Rental Management Device, 14: Owner Terminal, 15: Rental User Terminal, 16: Manufacturer/Distributor, 17: Manufacturer/Distributor Terminal, 18: Rental Fee, 19: Points, 20: Manufacturer, 21: Distributor, 41: Registration Unit, 42: Information Output Unit, 43: Settlement Unit, 44: Vehicle Usage Information Acquisition Unit, 45: Rental Usage Information Acquisition Unit, 46: Incentive Granting Unit, 47: Distance Charge Billing Unit, 48: Special Price Calculation Unit, 50: Staff, 100: Car Rental System

Claims (8)

A car rental management device that manages car rentals between an owner user who owns a vehicle and a rental user who rents the vehicle from the owner user, comprising:
a vehicle usage information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle usage information relating to the usage status of the vehicle in the car rental;
an incentive granting unit that grants, to the owner-user, an incentive related to the degree of preferential treatment in a service provided by a manufacturer or a dealer of the vehicle, based on the vehicle usage information when the vehicle is rented to the rental user;
Equipped with
The vehicle usage information acquisition unit acquires at least the mileage, usage time, and/or number of usages of the vehicle in the car rental as the vehicle usage information.
Car rental management device. 2. The car rental management device according to claim 1,
a rental use information acquisition unit that acquires rental use information that is information relating to the use status of the car rental by the rental user;
the incentive granting unit grants the incentive to the rental user based on the rental use information.
Car rental management device. 3. The car rental management device according to claim 1 ,
the incentive granting unit grants the incentive that can be used when purchasing a vehicle different from the vehicle from at least the manufacturer or the dealer;
Car rental management device. The car rental management device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
the incentive granting unit grants, as the incentive, a rank status that determines the degree of preferential treatment in the service;
Car rental management device. The car rental management device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
and a preferential price calculation unit that calculates a preferential price for the service based on the incentive.
Car rental management device. The car rental management device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
When the vehicle is a distance-charging vehicle that requires payment of an additional fee according to the distance traveled to the manufacturer or dealer in addition to the purchase price of the vehicle,
a distance charge calculation unit that calculates a distance charge, which is the additional cost, based on the incentive;
Car rental management device. 7. The car rental management device according to claim 6 ,
the distance charge calculation unit calculates the distance charge reduced in accordance with the incentive;
Car rental management device. A car rental management method in which a car rental management device manages a car rental performed between an owner user who owns a vehicle and a rental user who rents the vehicle from the owner user, comprising:
The car rental management device
Acquire vehicle usage information, which is information relating to the usage status of the vehicle in the car rental;
When the vehicle is rented to the rental user, an incentive related to the preferential treatment in a service provided by a manufacturer or a dealer of the vehicle is given to the owner user based on the vehicle usage information;
As the vehicle usage information, at least the mileage, usage time, and/or number of usages of the vehicle in the car rental are acquired.
How to manage car rentals.