Car Rental System: Design, Implementation, and Analysis for User Needs

This report outlines the design and implementation of a car rental system, focusing on user needs and technical infrastructure. The system aims to provide a user-friendly platform for car rentals, catering to customers who frequently travel. It addresses the current market landscape, including existing online platforms, and identifies opportunities for differentiation, such as incorporating vehicles owned by individuals. The report emphasizes the importance of consistency across different platforms (mobile and browser) and highlights the ability for users to search vehicles by owner type, vehicle type, location, and price. The design includes a server and database to manage information, with accessibility through both mobile and desktop devices. The report also analyzes the competitive landscape, focusing on current car rental websites and their design aspects. The goal is to create a dynamic and intuitive system that meets the specific needs of traveling customers.

Background Information
In order for our system to be built we require a technological infrastructure composed of
laptops, servers, databases and app stores for customers to download. This system should be
available via browser on a desktop or laptop device as well as mobile technology such as smart
phones and tablets. Our technical infrastructure will be mainly composed of a server to host the
application and a database to store and access data. In order for customers to download our
application, we have to make it available on platforms such as apple store and google store.
Since both laptops and smartphones are readily available to customers we don’t foresee any
accessibility issues.
This system focuses on car rentals for customers who are consistently traveling hence
deal with different car rental companies. These people tend to consistently travel to different
locations, mainly due to work. When they arrive to their location they have to deal with different
types of car rental services as well as prices. From the creator’s standpoint, we are trying to
integrate all these different companies into one system that aggregates information based on the
customer’s preference. With regards to existing companies there are several websites that
provide the platform for renting cars online. Most of these websites are owned by the same
companies who rent the cars while others are bundling vehicles with airplane tickets or hotels. In
terms of design, some sites are more fluid and intuitive while others are poorly designed in terms
of functionality and appearance.
One aspect we will adopt from the existing system is the ability to provide search results
based on user input. Customers will have the ability to search vehicles by owner type, vehicle
type, location and price. This will provide a dynamic result set more suited for each individual
customer preference. In terms of differentiating form the current systems, we are exploring the
possibility of introducing vehicles owned by individuals who are willing to rent. Another factor
we learned from the existing systems is the importance of consistency for the user when using
the system. In order for our system to be successful we have to eliminate inconsistencies in terms
of appearance and functionality for both mobile and browser platforms. You do not have to be a
registered user to use our application making it easier for new customers.