Driving a C2C Car Rental App from 0 to 1
INDUSTRY:
CAR RENTAL
WORK@
FREELANCE
DURATION:
2.5 WEEKS
MY ROLE:
PRODUCT DESIGNER
CHALLENGE
TakeMyCar aimed to disrupt the Indian car rental market by connecting car owners with renters. However, without a defined product or user insights, they were unable to validate their business model or engage potential investors.
GOAL
Design, build, and test a high-fidelity MVP prototype within a 2.5-week sprint to validate the core user journey and demonstrate product viability.
UNCOVER
Trust Was the Real Roadblock
Action: Conducted 42 surveys & 12 interviews.
Key Insight: The fundamental challenge wasn't logistics—it was a profound lack of trust. Owners feared vehicle damage, while renters were anxious about hidden costs and false claims.
DEFINE
A Strategy Built on Trust
Our Strategy: We pivoted from basic functionality to a core focus on fostering trust through transparency, control, and community.
The MVP Blueprint: This strategy crystallized our core features: a transparent booking flow, an owner-controlled approval process, and a two-way review system.
DESIGN & ITERATE
Leveraging Proven Patterns
Action: To move fast, we used Airbnb's trust-based flow as a structural blueprint, focusing our innovation on car-specific needs.
Rationale: This allowed us to leverage familiar patterns users already associated with safe peer-to-peer transactions.
Solution
Transparent Search & Filtering
Allows renters to set price, distance, and other key factors upfront, eliminating surprises and building trust through clarity.
Owner Control & Two-Way Reviews
Owners have the final say by approving rental requests. A robust review system for both parties creates accountability and social proof.
Simple Availability Management
A clear calendar view lets owners easily manage bookings and track their car’s schedule, reducing anxiety about control.
Direct In-App Communication
An integrated messaging feature lets users coordinate details safely, fostering trust through clear communication before a booking.
Business Impact
Validated Viability
By focusing the MVP on building trust, we directly increased its effectiveness.
The result: We increased the overall task success rate from 68% to 82% during usability testing, providing TakeMyCar with concrete evidence of a viable and user-friendly product for investors.