Do Shared Cars Become Mobile Toilets?

Shared cars have been used as 'mobile toilets' in some cases, but this is not the key reason for their decline.

Details of being used as 'mobile toilets': Some netizens reported smelling a foul odor after renting a shared car and eventually found human excrement in the trunk. This reflects the uncivilized and unethical behavior of some users when using shared cars, severely damaging the usage environment and causing great distress and a poor experience for subsequent users.

Not the key reason for decline: The decline of shared cars is the result of multiple factors working together.

• Business model flaws: In the early stages of development, many companies in the shared car industry failed to find a sustainable and profitable business model. Significant upfront investment was required for vehicle purchases, technology development, and operational maintenance, but revenue sources were relatively limited, mainly relying on user rental fees, which were insufficient to cover costs, resulting in long-term losses for the companies.
• High operational costs: The operation of shared cars involves multiple aspects such as vehicle dispatch, charging (or refueling), cleaning, and maintenance, each requiring substantial human and material resources. For example, due to the uncivilized behavior of some users, the frequency and difficulty of vehicle cleaning have increased, further raising operational costs.
• Limited usage scenarios: The use of shared cars requires users to have certain driving skills and conditions, and is also restricted by factors such as parking and traffic during use. In some cities, parking spaces are scarce, making it difficult for users to find suitable parking spots after using shared cars, which to some extent affects the user experience and the promotion of shared cars.
• User behavior issues: In addition to extreme cases like being used as 'mobile toilets', there are also behaviors such as users randomly damaging vehicles and driving in violation of regulations. These behaviors not only increase the operational costs of companies but also have a negative impact on the image and development of the shared car industry.