Car rental telematics is becoming a critical part of connected fleet management, helping operators improve fleet utilization, automate manual processes, protect vehicles, and create a better customer experience.

Mark Novak, Chief Revenue Officer at Zubie, joins The Mobility Perspective to discuss how connected vehicle data is transforming car rental operations. He explains why modern telematics goes far beyond GPS tracking and how real time data around mileage, fuel levels, vehicle condition, impacts, towing, and recovery can help rental operators make faster, more informed decisions. Mark also explores the future of connected fleets, including OEM vehicle connectivity, digital keys, touchless rentals, autonomous vehicles, and the growing importance of choosing the right telematics strategy for long term fleet efficiency.

Key takeaways:

• Connected vehicle data can help rental operators improve fleet utilization, automate manual processes, and respond to vehicle issues before they impact the next customer.
• Real time telematics can help operators detect towing, theft, impacts, fuel levels, and mileage faster, reducing downtime and helping protect fleet revenue.
• OEM connectivity, digital keys, and touchless rentals are shaping the future of car rental, but reliable data and the right technology strategy remain critical.

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Meet Mark Novak

(01:31) Small vs. large fleet operator challenges

(02:52) Lessons learned from behind the rental counter

(04:48) Why Zubie went all-in on the rental industry

(06:08) The education gap around telematics data

(07:03) Why real-time data beats slow, low-cost tracking

(08:26) Zubie's retention rate and how it stays differentiated

(11:31) How connected car adoption has evolved over the years

(14:25) Preventing vehicle theft and predatory towing

(17:19) Data privacy, state laws, and masking location on rent

(31:39) What the vehicle of 2030 and autonomous rentals look like

Resources:

Mark Novak on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marknovak16/

Explore Zubie: https://zubie.com/

Don Lefeve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-lefeve/

Carlos Bazan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cabazan/

Sharky Laguana on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharkylaguana/

Explore American Car Rental Association: https://www.acradrivesamerica.org/