Zipcar’s technology
When a system is well designed you can use it without even realizing the complexity of the technology behind it. This is true of the Zipcar car sharing service.
For those of you who are not familiar with the service, Zipcar allows you to rent cars by the hour or the day. In the cities where Zipcar operates, their cars are strategically located around the area, especially around public transportation hubs. You can search for available cars on the Zipcar web site then reserve the car you want. If you need to extend your reservation at the last minute you can do so using your cell phone.
Cars are accessed using a membership card that uses an RFID technology to unlock the car. When the car has been returned and your reservation is over, Zipcar automatically bills your credit card.
Zipcar employs a range of technologies that must be integrated seamlessly in order to provide an easy-to-use service. First there is the RFID technology employed in the membership card. The car must communicate with the back office to determine if you have a reservation. I assume that Zipcar uses satellite communications for that purpose. The back office must track which cars are available and which cars have need reserved. They also track when the cars have been picked up and returned. Finally the back office operation has to take car of the billing to your credit card.
The Zipcar website does an excellent job of presenting the member with all of the information that they need. You can see where available cars are located and the cost of using them. The web site also displays your future reservations and billing history.
All of these technologies spanning from the RFID on the membership card to the communications with the back office and the web site have been expertly woven together. The most impressive part is that the user never experiences the complexity of these technologies interacting. I use the service often without even thinking about it. This is the best indication of a well designed system.