China’s first professional auto hotel, the "Zhangjiajie Roadside Auto Hotel," launched its crowdfunding campaign on JD.com in early April this year and was met with an enthusiastic market response, achieving its fundraising target ahead of schedule.
So what makes this unconventional "Roadsun Roadside" company, as seen by many car enthusiasts, so unique? And why is the Roadside Auto Hotel not just a hotel, but also a physical extension of the roadside ecosystem and a community hub for like-minded travelers?
Self-driving toursThe surge in popularity is largely driven by the development of China’s automotive industry, especially the widespread adoption of private cars. In recent years, statistics show that approximately 400 million people have gone on self-driving trips, with the market valued at nearly one trillion yuan. However, self-driving tourists face clear pain points: 1) fragmented self-driving products; 2) lack of guided companionship during the trip; 3) absence of personalized customization services related to self-driving.
How does Shenzhen Roadside Self-Driving address these pain points one by one and serve industry giants like Pacific Insurance? Moreover, how can self-driving tour service products be transformed into a virtual SaaS-standard offering for B-end clients?
Luo Xianqiang, founder and CEO of Roadside Self-Driving, explained that he is himself a passionate self-driving enthusiast who has driven through over 50 countries and regions, covering more than 500,000 kilometers. Two years ago, he founded Roadside Self-Driving, dedicated to serving global self-driving enthusiasts.
To tackle the three aforementioned pain points, Roadside Self-Driving has built an ecosystem platform for self-driving enthusiasts driven by short video content. It features two standout products: 1) value-added specialty route products; 2) specialty directly operated auto hotels. Through a directly operated “shared crowdsourcing” model: offline product credibility is ensured by a network of self-driving experts; platform certification addresses player identity security, insurance covers personal and vehicle safety, and expert site inspections ensure consumption safety; customized itinerary services on the platform resolve product fragmentation, while a large number of professional players and enthusiasts solve the issue of guided companionship; and the platform’s offline shared service providers across various locations address the need for personalized customization, such as the professionally promoted photography and videography services by Roadside, turning every self-driving trip into a road movie—an exceptional feature!
In addition, Luo Xianqiang mentioned that the above are just some of the services offered by Roadside Self-Driving, still far from being “smart.” The platform “Luca Self-Driving” will also analyze users’ preferences for video content and their personal inclinations to recommend more suitable routes, expert guides, accommodations, and cuisines.
Luo Xianqiang emphasized in closing that with the deepening development and restructuring of O2O, the offline aspect is increasingly becoming the key and entry point for completing the industry loop. Two years ago, Roadside began laying out its own directly operated hotels. In addition to the five soon-to-open locations, franchise chains, alliance hotels, and specialty homestays are expected to reach 200 by the end of this year. Each directly operated or alliance hotel is equipped with a comprehensive offline interaction platform. The Roadside Auto Hotel is not just a hotel, but also a physical extension of the roadside ecosystem and a community hub for like-minded travelers. Users can socialize, find travel buddies, carpool, share experiences, interact, and earn rewards at Roadside Hotels. It also offers one-click door opening, parking, and check-in, as well as mobile room selection!
Moreover, Roadside Self-Driving also provides value-added services for self-driving consumers. On March 27, 2017, Roadside Self-Driving officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Pacific Insurance Shenzhen Branch. Leveraging the platform and self-driving tour product services of Shenzhen Roadside Self-Driving Co., Ltd., Pacific Insurance Shenzhen Branch will purchase value-added self-driving tour services from Roadside Self-Driving to reward its users and offer exclusive self-driving insurance products. It’s clear that Roadside Self-Driving is playing a much larger game, far beyond the scope of just a specialty hotel.
It is said that the first directly operated auto hotel, the "Zhangjiajie Roadside Auto Hotel," will officially open in May 2017. Given the momentum of the crowdfunding campaign, it’s likely to be in high demand—so those eager to try it out should prepare early.