Insights Interview on Car Sharing in Taiwan: Vol. 1 with iRent

The Asian car sharing market is complex, featuring a diverse range of business models implemented on the streets. Operators employ various strategies, such as station-based, peer-to-peer, and sometimes free-floating car sharing, to address distinct use cases and offer different services. Especially the East and South East Asian car sharing markets are global key markets and offer different solutions and implementations than European or North American operators. To address and explain some of these complexities, INVERS has published its white paper on “Car Sharing in East and South East Asia”. This 50-page report helps car sharing operators to quickly understand key market dynamics, insights, and trends.

Table of Contents

• Taiwanese mobility system and car sharing
• Trends in Taiwanese car sharing
• Local policies
• The role of AI

How would you describe the Taiwanese mobility system, and how does car sharing fit into it?

1. Integrated, high-performance multimodal mobility ecosystem
Taiwan has a well-developed mobility system that facilitates seamless travel across the island. Within urban areas, travelers can utilize various modes of transportation, including buses, Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), light rail systems, Taiwanese Rail (TRA), and Taiwan High-Speed-Rail (HSR). The widespread acceptance of reloadable transportation smartcards like the EasyCard, iPass, and pre-paid cash cards like iCash enhances the convenience and accessibility of public transport.

2. Car sharing extends the reach of urban mobility where transit doesn’t go
Within Taiwan’s dynamic mobility ecosystem, car sharing serves as a vital complement to public transit. It offers flexible, on-demand mobility—especially in suburban or underserved areas where traditional transit options are limited. By filling coverage gaps, car sharing not only eases parking pressure in dense urban areas, but also complements public transport systems—enhancing convenience, improving efficiency, and optimizing overall mobility across the network.

What major trends do you see in Taiwanese car sharing today? How will the car sharing market be different in 5 years from now?

1. Taiwan’s car sharing market still has room to grow
With increasing demand for flexible mobility options and strong government support for sustainable mobility, Taiwan’s car sharing market is expected to continue its upward growth trajectory.

2. Major players leading the change in innovation and market integration
As the car sharing market continues to grow and mature, increased collaboration and deeper system integration are expected. Leading players will harness their scale, technology, and capital to expand their footprint, while smaller operators increasingly join larger platforms. Through consolidation and resource sharing, operators will join to extend service coverage, enhancing operational efficiency, and raising overall service quality. This “strong-getting-stronger” dynamic will drive market growth and push the industry toward higher standards.

What national and local policies affect Taiwanese car sharing? How does it affect car sharing in a city like Taipei?

1. Taiwan 2050 Net-Zero Road Map
In line with the National Council for Sustainable Development’s “Taiwan’s Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions by 2050” road map, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has introduced the Intelligent Transportation System Development and Implementation Plan, which includes the development and promotion of car sharing platforms. These efforts help accelerate the development of the car-sharing industry through policy support and increased public acceptance of shared mobility.

2. Inconsistent Local Regulations Pose Challenges for Car Sharing Operators
Car sharing operations in Taiwan are governed by municipal-level autonomous regulations, which vary from county to county. While local governments generally support the development of shared mobility, the differing rules and enforcement approaches for car sharing result in operational challenges. Operators must adapt their business models and service offerings to comply with each region’s specific regulatory requirements.

With the recent rapid development of AI, how does iRent view the impact and influence of AI on car sharing in Taiwan?

AI technology offers significant potential to help iRent boost operational efficiency, strengthen vehicle monitoring and fleet management, and enhance driver and passenger safety—laying the groundwork for a smarter fleet and a safer, more seamless user experience. More broadly, AI is poised to play a key role in accelerating the adoption and advancement of shared mobility in Taiwan.

1. Smarter fleet management and utilization
Using AI to analyze vehicle usage patterns and traffic flow can help optimize fleet distribution and utilization, reducing idle times and operational costs.

2. Automated rentals
Using AI to provide 24/7 customer support offers users immediate assistance, resolves order issues, handles troubleshooting, and reduces wait times, improving both efficiency and the overall user experience.

3. Renter verification and fraud prevention
Using AI technology to validate and verify rentals, thus minimizing identity fraud, vehicle misuses, and improving overall asset protection.

4. Driver monitoring and risk analysis
Using AI technology to detect risky driving
behaviors, such as speeding and hard braking. AI technology can also help with damage detection and assessment.

Further insights into the Asian car sharing market

Thank you, Stanley, for sharing your expert insights.

For more information and interesting findings about Asian car sharing, we encourage readers to check out our 50-page white paper on “Car Sharing in East and South East Asia” with more expert interviews as well as insights from key markets in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. To discover more from iRent, please visit their website.