Invers presents a smoke detection solution for clean air in car sharing

Smoke Detection from Invers is an innovative solution designed to help car sharing and rental operators enforce their no-smoking policies effectively. This system alerts operators immediately when a customer smokes a cigarette or vape inside a vehicle, providing clear evidence of the violation. With this capability, operators can issue fines to offenders and ensure their vehicles remain clean and in excellent condition.

Siegen, October 8th, 2024 – Today, Invers unveils a new solution for car sharing and rental operators: Smoke Detection delivers real-time notifications whenever a cigarette or vape is used in a vehicle. Using this data, car sharing providers can send out fines to deter smokers, pay for cleaning, and enhance their service quality.  

Nobody wants to get into a rental car that smells of smoke and is littered with cigarette butts – especially when going to an event or travelling with kids. For that reason, most car sharing terms and conditions include a smoking ban as well as a hefty fine. But without a way for operators to reliably catch smokers and prove their violation, some customers simply ignore this rule. This adds a stench to the car and creates a worse experience for all other users. “One of the main goals of car sharing and rental operators is to offer their customers a perfect user experience”, says Alex Kirn, CEO of Invers. “Our team is committed to provide technical solutions for related challenges; from locating the car to vehicle access and damage detection, to clean air in the vehicle to help create the best rental experience possible. Together with the operators, we aim to make car rental more convenient than car ownership to decrease car dependency for more sustainable mobility.” 

Smoke Detection uses a small, sturdy sensor to constantly monitor the air inside the vehicle for certain particles. Its detection algorithm continuously scans this data to accurately identify tobacco and vape smoke in real-time. Contextual vehicle information from the telematics unit offers detailed visibility into events such as ignition, window and door status to enhance evidence reliability. With extensive evidence and timely delivery, offenders are more likely to pay fines and abstain from a dispute.  

Operators can now not only generate revenue from fines to cover the cost of additional cleaning and odor removal, but they also preserve their vehicles’ interiors in good shape long-term for higher vehicle resale values. Additionally, the solution improves customer loyalty as users enjoy and are more likely to return to cleaner, better smelling cars.