A white label solution or building your own software - what to choose for your vehicle sharing business?
May 21, 2021
min. read
Software is an essential part of your vehicle-sharing business. And it doesn't matter what vehicles your customers are going to share. They will do it through the mobile app. So here is the decision to make – are you going to create the vehicle-sharing software from scratch or choose one of the existing solutions on the market. Hopefully, this article will help you with this decision.
Which one of these two options should you choose? There is no one correct answer and there are advantages as well as weaknesses to both of them.
Imagine that this is your first vehicle-sharing business and you have decided to do everything on your own. You are full of enthusiasm and you approach your CTO or IT partner and promise to come up with the brief. The task doesn't seem too complicated for the software you need. However, the vehicle-sharing business is the one that makes creating the brief so complicated. There are many small details to consider.
First step - long and costly research
If you really have decided to start to develop software from scratch, you should take one step back. Your CTO or IT partner must start with the investigation on what functions you might need and how one thing might lead to another. This might take a lot of time and money. In addition, sometimes you can get an impression of what clients need only by operating in the market. For example, ATOM is operating in 23 countries. Their software that is also a white label solution for vehicle-sharing businesses already includes over 100 different features and settings that users might need. And those features are a collection of suggestions from users made over the course of several years in those markets.
However, the aim of the research is to understand what the vehicle-sharing software might look like. If the investigation is done, you can start to prepare the brief and documentation for developers. Here is a list of some other things that you should consider before starting work on a technical solution:
- backend, as well as frontend of the solution - both should be developed and supported so your team can manage operations;
- there should be two versions of the mobile app - one for users that has a device operating on iOS. Other - for the owners of devices that run on Android;
- whenever Apple or Android updates their operating systems or other 3rd party makes an update, you should be ready to check if everything works on your apps;
- apps should be compatible with smart locks in the case of bikes or IoT solutions in the case of scooters, mopeds, cars that are used on the vehicle;
- the IT solution must be properly tested and debugged - the industry average shows that testing the app takes approximately two-three months;
- if your vehicle fleet has over 100 vehicles, most likely you will have a service team. The most convenient way for the service team to operate is by using the phone app. This means that there should be one more app for the service team. And your team members might also have iOS as well as Android operating systems on their devices. So again – there are two more apps for you to build;
- additionally, you must have an invoicing option and also the option to create reports, see statistics, analyze routes, distribute promotions, launch referral programs, etc. And this list can go on and on.
The software development usually costs from EUR 100,000-400,000 depending on the complexity and features that you might want to include. In addition, you have to keep in mind that nothing ends with development. The software requires testing, private launch, debugging and support. And only then will the software be ready for the public launch. However, more bug fixing should probably be done.
One year and you are ready to go!
This whole process mentioned above takes approximately one year. Of course, fingers crossed that the solution as well as the integration with smart locks or IoT solutions works. There is just one problem - the vehicle-sharing industry is changing very rapidly - new players are coming in, others are expanding, new means of transportation are used for vehicle-sharing. And there are a lot of things that might happen and change in a year. It might be hard to catch up.
Furthermore, competitors are constantly offering and creating new features that were not in the market previously such as subscriptions, which is currently a new trend. For example, ATOM Mobility has created a white label solution for the vehicle-sharing market that constantly collects knowledge from their clients and adds new features. Later those features are integrated into solutions offered to other clients so everyone is up to date. In the case of a custom-made solution, everything is on you - it might take additional time and money.
One more thing that speaks in favor of the white label solution - let's imagine that your business is very successful. You have developed a vehicle-sharing software for the one-vehicle type and you would like to grow by adding other vehicle types. Sorry, not possible. You will have to make significant changes to the existing software or develop the new one. So probably you will have to start over again.
The same problem might apply to extending the fleet. If your business becomes scalable, the software might not be appropriate for a fleet with 20 000 vehicles. White label solution providers are usually ready for such success of their customers as they have already supported thousands of vehicles for some time.
When it is worthwhile developing a custom solution?
However, there are times that it is worth considering developing a custom solution - your own software for your vehicle-sharing business. It is worth doing this, if:
1) You already know that you might need some very specific features, but the company offering white-label solutions can't provide them to you. For example, you want your car sharing software to run on the blockchain. Or you want to create a decentralized sharing service. However, it is only worth investing in such a specific solution if it is a real game-changer for you and you have the data to proof it;
2) You have EUR 500,000 or more available in funding and you have a very strong team of developers that you would like to keep working for your company. You consider them to be your asset. Then, if you are lucky, after some time, someone might be interested in buying your company just because of the team and, of course, the solution you have developed;
3) The co-founder of the company is a very good CTO with high-level technical skills and the ability to lead the team. Then it is probably worth building a team. However, most likely you will build a technological and not a vehicle-sharing company in the end and spent more on development than actually on vehicles.
4) For some reason one of the requirements is to have a source code. Companies offering white label solutions won't be able to help you with that.
There is a power in sharing and this doesn't just apply to vehicle-sharing. You always get access to a strong network when you are working hand in hand with the industry leaders. That's what we at ATOM emphasize in collaboration with our clients. We are ready to share as much as we can because we do really care about our clients’ business. It is important for us that they grow and constantly have access to the latest achievements within the industry.
Ask AI for an article overview
Let AI explain why entrepreneurs choose ATOM Mobility
Interested in launching your own mobility platform?
Blog
ATOM Mobility API: Build your own mobility experience on top of a proven platform
⚡ Launch faster and integrate anywhere with ATOM Mobility API. Build your own mobility experience without rebuilding the backend. Learn how ATOM Mobility API lets you integrate, customize, and scale faster.
April 2, 2026
min. read
Shared mobility is moving beyond standalone apps. Operators today are expected to integrate into existing ecosystems - from hotel and airport platforms to corporate travel tools and MaaS apps. Building all of that from scratch is slow, expensive, and hard to scale.
That’s why ATOM Mobility offers a fully developed OpenAPI - allowing you to build your own mobility experience on top of a proven backend.
From app to platform
Most mobility solutions are still built as closed systems. That creates friction: integrations take time, custom features require heavy development, and expanding into new channels becomes complicated.
An API-first approach changes this.
Instead of rebuilding core functionality, operators can use ATOM Mobility as the underlying system and build their own layer on top. Booking flows, payments, vehicle control, and operational logic are already there - accessible via API.
What this enables in practice
With API access, mobility can be embedded directly where users already are.
- A ride can be booked from a hotel website. A car can be unlocked through a partner app. A custom frontend can be built for a specific market without touching the backend.
- At the same time, operators can connect their own tools: from internal dashboards to finance and reporting systems (for example, Power BI) creating a more automated and scalable operation.
The result is not just a mobility app, but a flexible system that can adapt to different markets, partners, and use cases.
What you can manage with ATOM Mobility API
🚗 Booking & ride management - search vehicles, reserve and unlock, start and end trips, manage ride status.
💳 Payments & users - create and manage users, handle payments and pricing, access booking history.
🛴 Fleet & operations - vehicle status and location, zones and restrictions, pricing configuration.
🔌 Integrations - connect third-party apps, sync with external systems, automate workflows and more...
Few use cases we already see
1. Embedded mobility in partner platforms
Booking directly from (no app download needed):
- hotel websites
- airport kiosks
- corporate travel portals
- MAAS apps (such as Umob)
2. Custom frontends and apps
Operators build:
- branded web apps
- niche UX flows
- country-specific experiences
All powered by ATOM Mobility backend.
3. IoT and hardware integrations
- sync vehicle data
- control locking/unlocking
4. Automation & internal tools
- reporting dashboards
- finance automation
- customer communication flows
Instead of spending months building core systems, operators can use ATOM API and focus on what actually drives growth - distribution and partnerships.
Interested to learn more or try it out?
Learn more:
https://www.atommobility.com/api
Explore the API:
https://app.rideatom.com/api/docs
Blog
How to fully automate maintenance tasks and alerts for rental fleets
🚗 Scaling a rental fleet without automating maintenance? That’s risky. Spreadsheets and routine checks might work at 20 vehicles, but once you grow past 50, things start slipping. More operators are using IoT telematics, automatic error codes, and mileage-based service alerts to catch issues early and keep vehicles available. See how rental fleet maintenance automation helps you scale without chaos.
March 31, 2026
min. read
How to automate maintenance alerts for rental fleets
Rental fleet maintenance automation is becoming essential for operators who want to scale without increasing operational complexity. Whether you manage cars, scooters, bikes, or mixed fleets, manual inspections and spreadsheets quickly fail once your fleet grows beyond a few dozen vehicles.
Breakdowns, missed services, and delayed repairs directly affect uptime, revenue, and customer satisfaction. Modern fleet technology makes it possible to automate maintenance using IoT telematics, onboard sensors, automatic error codes, mileage-based triggers, and structured dashboards.
Why manual maintenance tracking does not scale
In small fleets, maintenance is reactive. A customer reports an issue. A staff member checks the vehicle. Someone creates a task manually. This works for 20 vehicles, but for 200 it’s just too much work.
As fleets expand, issues are discovered too late, standards vary between locations, and staff spend more time coordinating than fixing. Rental fleet maintenance automation shifts operations from reactive repairs to preventive, system-driven workflows.
Using IoT telematics to monitor vehicles in real time
IoT telematics devices collect live data such as location, battery level, ignition status, engine health, and mileage. In car rental and car sharing fleets, telematics also track fuel levels, driving behaviour, and diagnostic information.
Instead of waiting for user reports, the system can trigger alerts automatically. For example:
- when a battery drops below 20 percent
- when a vehicle reaches a service mileage threshold
- when a vehicle leaves a defined service area
- when the vehicle receives a few negative reviews
This data feeds directly into the fleet platform, where workflows assign tasks automatically, reducing response times and eliminating internal coordination delays.
Onboard sensors and automatic error codes
Modern vehicles generate diagnostic trouble codes when systems fail. In connected fleets, these codes appear instantly in the operator dashboard.
If a vehicle reports a brake or engine warning, the system can block it from new bookings, notify technicians, and create a repair task automatically. In micromobility fleets, IoT modules detect tilt events, battery degradation, failed unlock attempts, or controller errors.
Digital reporting further improves vehicle availability. ATOM Mobility’s vehicle damage management feature shows how structured workflows reduce downtime and improve transparency.
Mileage-based and time-based service automation
Rule-based servicing is one of the most effective elements of rental fleet maintenance automation.
Operators can set simple service rules, such as:
- changing oil every 15,000 km
- checking brakes every 20,000 km
- running a safety check every six months
When a vehicle reaches one of these limits, the system creates a task automatically. The vehicle can also be temporarily removed from booking until the service is done. This becomes especially important when operating in multiple cities, because it keeps safety standards consistent across the entire fleet.
Maintenance dashboards and task automation
A maintenance dashboard centralises alerts, open issues, and upcoming service requirements.
With structured task management, teams can assign jobs, set priorities, track resolution times, and analyse recurring issues. ATOM Mobility’s Task Manager feature enables operators to convert alerts directly into trackable actions within one system. Alerts that turn into tasks automatically make it clear what needs fixing and when it should be handled.
From reactive to predictive maintenance
With enough historical data, fleets can move beyond fixed intervals. Operators can identify patterns such as faster brake wear in specific models or higher damage rates in certain areas. Predictive maintenance allows servicing based on actual usage intensity, reducing unnecessary costs while preventing major failures.
For operators growing from 50 to 500 vehicles, automation delivers clear advantages:
- higher uptime, because issues are detected earlier
- lower operational costs, since preventive repairs are cheaper than breakdowns
- improved safety and compliance, with no missed service intervals
- better customer experience, with fewer malfunctioning vehicles
- clearer performance metrics for management decisions
Automation supports maintenance teams with clearer priorities and better data.
Building the right automation stack
Effective rental fleet maintenance automation typically requires:
- IoT hardware
- a fleet management platform with automated alerts
- configurable service rules
- a task dashboard
- task automation logic
- analytics tools
When these components are connected, maintenance becomes scalable and controlled instead of reactive. This is especially important for operators running scooter, bike, car sharing, or rental businesses, where uptime directly impacts revenue and retention.
Rental fleet maintenance automation makes maintenance more organised and easier to manage as you grow. IoT telematics, automatic diagnostics, mileage alerts, and task dashboards help create clear processes that support expansion.
For rental and shared mobility operators who want to grow steadily, automating maintenance is essential. It helps keep operations stable and supports long-term profitability.
Driver App demo credentials - Email: test@atom.com, Password: driver
