CASE STUDY
APS Holding / Car Sharing Padova
Car Sharing Padova: A Digital Platform to Support the Evolution of a Public Shared Mobility Service
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Project Highlights

2019
Year the collaboration with Playmoove began.
A public service with more than ten years of history
Car Sharing Padova predates the introduction of Playmoove and has its roots in the national ICS initiative.
Mobile app + web app + back office
Users, operators and administrative staff use integrated tools within the same digital ecosystem.
Hybrid and electric fleet
The platform has supported the progressive renewal and electrification of the service fleet.
New onboard telematics
The migration also included the introduction of a higher-performing hardware solution and Bluetooth functionality.
Integrated customer service
Alongside the technology platform, Playmoove has also supported the management of customer service for end users.

Car Sharing Padova

Digitalising a Public Urban Mobility Service

Developing the platform for Car Sharing Padova means working on a public mobility service in one of the leading cities in north-eastern Italy, characterised by a large population of residents, students and businesses, as well as significant daily travel flows across the wider urban area. In this context, car sharing is one of the tools available to broaden the alternatives to private car use and integrate different mobility options. The project is also particularly relevant because of its history: Padua was among the Italian cities that developed public car sharing through the national ICS network. The introduction of Playmoove technology therefore marked the transition from a previous technology model to a more modern and open digital infrastructure capable of supporting the evolution of the service.

APS Holding S.p.A. is wholly owned by the Municipality of Padua and manages a range of public services for the city and its residents.

Its activities include parking management, car sharing and other services related to urban operations and mobility.

Within this ecosystem, Car Sharing Padova is a service that had been operating for several years before the collaboration with Playmoove began and was originally developed as part of the national ICS – Iniziativa Car Sharing network.

When APS Holding selected Playmoove in 2019, the car-sharing service was therefore already operational. The requirement was not to create a new service from scratch, but to replace the existing technology infrastructure and build a more modern foundation for the next phase of digitalisation.

Car Sharing Padova belonged to the first generation of public car-sharing services developed in Italy through the ICS initiative, which enabled different local authorities to introduce shared vehicle services within their cities.

Over the years, however, the requirements of both users and operators had changed.

The increasing use of smartphones, new vehicle access technologies, advances in telematics and the need to integrate car sharing with corporate administrative systems made a change in technology infrastructure necessary.

APS also needed to reduce the number of manual activities required for the day-to-day management of the service and provide users with a simpler digital experience.

At the same time, the fleet was also evolving, with hybrid and electric vehicles being introduced and a need to support models with different technological characteristics.

The project therefore required a platform capable of supporting technology migration, process digitalisation and fleet evolution at the same time.

The main complexity was replacing technology that had been used for years within an already operational service while minimising the impact on users and the organisation.

The new platform needed to enable APS to manage a wide range of components in a coordinated way, including:

  • user registration and management;
  • document verification and approval;
  • vehicle booking;
  • digital vehicle access;
  • fleet management;
  • different vehicle types;
  • pricing;
  • payments;
  • invoicing;
  • user support;
  • damage reporting;
  • fuel and charging management;
  • maintenance;
  • data and reporting;
  • integrations with APS administrative and accounting systems.

A second challenge involved the technology installed in the vehicles.

APS wanted to overcome the limitations of the previous configuration and identify a telematics solution capable of providing greater reliability and operational continuity, while also introducing technologies such as Bluetooth to make vehicle access more robust.

The project therefore required simultaneous changes to the software, hardware and the processes used to manage the service on a daily basis.

The objective was not simply to replace the previous technology system.

APS intended to use the migration as an opportunity to further digitalise Car Sharing Padova and reduce the operational complexity associated with managing the service.

The main objectives included:

  • modernising the technology infrastructure;
  • ensuring service continuity during the migration;
  • digitalising the user experience;
  • simplifying customer registration and approval;
  • reducing manual administrative activities;
  • improving the reliability and performance of onboard telematics;
  • supporting different vehicle models and powertrains;
  • integrating payments and invoicing;
  • connecting the service with APS administrative and accounting systems;
  • improving fleet management tools;
  • providing a more structured approach to maintenance and fleet operations;
  • providing data and reporting tools;
  • supporting APS in customer service management.

The platform therefore needed to be structured enough to meet the requirements of a public-sector operator while remaining flexible enough to evolve alongside the service over time.

The Playmoove Solution

Playmoove provided APS Holding with a platform dedicated to the digital management of Car Sharing Padova, configured and customised around the specific requirements of the service.

The solution includes both the digital experience used by end users and the administrative and operational tools required by APS staff.

The main components include:

  • customised mobile application;
  • web app;
  • administrative portal;
  • user management;
  • document verification and approval;
  • vehicle booking;
  • fleet management;
  • onboard telematics;
  • pricing;
  • payments;
  • invoicing;
  • vehicle issue reporting;
  • fuel and charging management tools;
  • reporting;
  • integrations with external systems.

Customisation also covered the end-user experience, creating a digital environment consistent with the identity of the service and the operational processes defined by APS.

The platform therefore became the connection point between users, vehicles, operators and administrative systems.

Migration from the Previous Technology

One of the most sensitive aspects of the project was the transition from the previously used technology to the Playmoove platform.

Car Sharing Padova was already operational, with an established user base, fleet and processes. The transition therefore had to be planned particularly carefully.

The work involved more than replacing the software.

The onboard telematics also needed to be replaced, processes had to be reconfigured and the staff who would subsequently manage the service through the new tools needed to be trained.

Playmoove supported APS throughout the different stages of the technology transition, with the objective of minimising the impact on the day-to-day operation of the car-sharing service.

The migration also provided an opportunity to review certain processes and introduce functionality that had not been available within the previous infrastructure.

New Onboard Telematics

The choice of hardware was a particularly important component of the project.

APS had identified the need for a more reliable and higher-performing telematics solution capable of ensuring service continuity even in situations where data connectivity may be more limited.

Thanks to Playmoove’s experience integrating with different telematics device manufacturers, it was possible to identify a solution suited to the specific requirements of the project.

One of the technologies introduced was Bluetooth, used to improve the reliability of communication between the smartphone and the vehicle even when standard data connectivity is limited.

The new configuration also made it possible to manage different car models without tying the platform to a single vehicle type.

This approach separates the software layer from the specific technology physically installed in the vehicles, making the infrastructure easier to adapt to future changes in the fleet.

Digital User Management

Another central aspect of the project was the customer registration and approval process.

The Playmoove platform makes it possible to manage digitally the different stages that take place before a customer can use the service:

  • user registration;
  • collection of personal information;
  • document management;
  • verification of requirements;
  • customer approval;
  • authorisation to use the vehicles.

Once the process is complete, users can use the application to search for and book a vehicle and digitally manage the main stages of their journey.

This has progressively reduced the number of activities that staff need to manage manually.

The result is a simpler process for the end user and, at the same time, a more structured workflow for the organisation managing the service.

Customer Service Integrated with the Service

Technology was only one component in the management of Car Sharing Padova.

A public service delivered directly to citizens also requires a support structure capable of assisting users with issues during registration, booking or vehicle use.

APS therefore needed to complement the platform with dedicated customer service support.

Playmoove also supported the client in this area, helping manage assistance requests from end users.

This enabled APS to outsource part of the more operationally demanding activities and connect customer support with the information available on the platform.

The service is therefore not managed through separate tools: technology and operational support can work from the same information base, making it easier to reconstruct bookings and investigate issues reported by customers.

Payments, Invoicing and Corporate Systems

One of the requirements of the project was to avoid having car sharing operate as a separate administrative ecosystem from the other systems used by APS.

The platform was therefore designed to communicate with the corporate tools used for administrative and accounting management.

Data relating to bookings, pricing and usage can be used to automate processes connected with payments and invoicing.

The integration reduces manual activities, duplication and the need to transfer information between different systems.

This is particularly important for a public service, where the end-user platform must coexist with structured administrative and management procedures.

Car sharing is therefore integrated into the corporate IT ecosystem rather than managed as an independent system.

Fleet Evolution

Alongside the digitalisation of the platform, Car Sharing Padova has also undergone a process of fleet renewal.

Vehicles with different powertrain technologies have been introduced into the service, with a growing presence of hybrid and electric models.

The platform therefore needed to support vehicles with different technical characteristics, usage models and operational requirements.

This is particularly relevant for a service that needs to be able to progressively change the composition of its fleet.

Playmoove makes it possible to add and configure different vehicle models while maintaining the same digital infrastructure used by both users and operators.

The evolution of the fleet therefore does not require the system to be rebuilt, but can be managed progressively through platform configuration and the relevant telematics integrations.

Managing Operational Activities

Digitalisation also involved the teams responsible for managing the vehicles on a daily basis.

Through Playmoove tools, staff can access the information required to monitor the fleet and organise operational activities.

The platform centralises information relating to vehicle status, user reports and required interventions.

Processes such as fuel management, charging and damage reporting can also be managed within the same ecosystem.

This reduces fragmentation between the tools used by customers and those used by operational staff.

The platform therefore becomes a central tool not only for users booking a car, but also for the teams responsible for ensuring that vehicles remain available and ready for use every day.

Staff Training

The transition to a new platform required APS staff to quickly become independent in the use of the new tools.

Playmoove therefore complemented the implementation phase with training for the staff responsible for fleet operations.

Operators were able to explore the administrative and operational functionality of the platform and understand how to use it in the day-to-day management of the service.

The training also covered broader aspects of car-sharing operations, including the configuration of vehicle stations, fleet distribution and operational processes to be applied across the service area.

The training therefore transferred not only knowledge of how to use the software, but also the experience Playmoove has developed in managing shared mobility services.

Data and Reporting

One of the requirements identified during the project concerned access to information.

Digital service management makes it possible to centralise data relating to users, bookings, fleet utilisation and operational activities.

The back office provides access to this information to monitor the performance of the car-sharing service and support management decisions.

Reporting can be used, for example, to analyse vehicle utilisation, how users access the service and the activities required to keep the fleet operational.

Centralised data availability also reduces the need to manually reconstruct information from different systems.

Data therefore becomes not simply a by-product of using the platform, but a tool for monitoring and progressively optimising the service.

Beyond Car Sharing: Exploring Parking Integration

During the collaboration, APS and Playmoove also explored the possibility of extending digitalisation to other urban mobility services.

In particular, a study was developed for a potential digital parking system, with the objective of analysing the integration between municipal parking management and car sharing.

The project did not subsequently move into the operational phase, but the work carried out made it possible to develop a model in which services traditionally managed separately could be connected through the same technology ecosystem.

This phase also enabled APS staff to draw on Playmoove’s expertise in an area broader than car sharing alone.

The experience provides an example of how a modular platform can be used as the foundation for progressively designing new services, even when their final implementation depends on subsequent decisions by the local authority.

A Collaboration That Evolves Over Time

The relationship between APS and Playmoove did not end with the technology migration.

Over the years, the platform has been used to support the evolution of the organisation’s mobility requirements, including applications related to internal corporate mobility.

At the same time, further development opportunities have been explored, including integrations involving electric charging infrastructure, automated access systems and the digital management of parking areas.

This represents one of the distinctive aspects of the project: an infrastructure introduced to modernise a car-sharing service can become a technology foundation on which additional mobility services can be built.

The platform can therefore adapt to different requirements without the need to develop a completely new system each time.

Results

One of the main results of the project was enabling APS to move from its previous technology to a more modern digital platform while keeping an established service operational for its existing users.

Playmoove brought together within the same ecosystem:

  • user registration and approval;
  • mobile application and web app;
  • vehicle booking;
  • digital vehicle access;
  • onboard telematics;
  • fleet management;
  • payments and pricing;
  • invoicing;
  • customer service;
  • damage reporting;
  • operational activities;
  • fuel and charging management;
  • data and reporting;
  • integrations with administrative and accounting systems.

The migration also made it possible to support the evolution of the fleet towards different hybrid and electric models.

Another result was the reduction in manual activities achieved through the digitalisation of registration, booking, vehicle use and administrative processes.

The project therefore demonstrates that modernising a public car-sharing service involves much more than introducing a new app: it requires the ability to address software, hardware, operational processes, customer support and corporate integrations at the same time.

Why Playmoove

One of the reasons APS chose Playmoove was the need to overcome the limitations of technology developed during an earlier phase of the car-sharing market.

The client was looking for a platform capable of managing an already operational service and supporting its progressive digitalisation without being tied to a rigid technology configuration.

Playmoove combined a platform specifically designed for shared mobility with the ability to customise processes, interfaces and integrations according to APS requirements.

Telematics expertise was another particularly important factor: the ability to compare different technologies and identify the most suitable solution made it possible to address not only the software component, but the entire infrastructure required to operate the service.

This was complemented by the ability to support the client with operational activities and customer service.

The Car Sharing Padova case therefore demonstrates how a modular and open platform can support a public-sector organisation in moving from legacy technology towards a more digital and integrated mobility service designed to evolve over time.