*By Carlo Versano*
Avis Budget Group [announced](https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/avis-budget-group-fleet-expands-to-100-000-connected-cars-benefitting-customers-cities-and-the-company-bottom-line-1027453677) this week it has 100,000 connected cars in its global fleet, a milestone that the chief innovation officer said shows the company best-known for airport rentals is poised to become a next-generation mobility provider.
The car rental company that vows "We Try Harder" also announced recently it's adding Waymo, Lyft, and Airbnb to its slate of partners.
The expansion is all part of a strategic effort to appeal to Avis's customers who increasingly view mobility and transportation as a service, said the CIO Arthur Orduna.
"We need to understand how people want to consume their mobility," Orduna said Thursday in an interview on Cheddar.
He said he's divided future Avis customers into two camps: urban commuters, attracted to the company's on-demand services like Zipcar; and travelers who need access to rentals to get around a new place.
The main priorities for building a company that can service both types of customers, he said, are connected cars and the Avis app.
The ability to communicate with a vehicle creates a better experience for users ー finding and unlocking one's car via the app, for example ー Orduna said.
The app also helps Avis to streamline its fleet operations, and, as connected cars produce data on their own movements, Avis can use that data to partner with other companies and smart cities, "based on a digital ecosystem," Orduna said.
Avis, which operates in 11,000 locations in 180 countries, is also betting that the future of mobility means autonomy.
"AV \[autonomous vehicles]\ is not a matter of if ー it's really a matter of when," Orduna said.
To that end, Avis's partnership with Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving car unit, offers short-distance rides to a select group of residents in Arizona, where Waymo is testing its technology. This is in addition to an earlier deal for Avis to service Waymo's autonomous fleet.
For full interview, [click here] (https://cms.cheddar.com/videos/VmlkZW8tMjIyMjI=).
Take-Two Interactive is set to buy Zynga for $12.7 billion. The deal marks the latest blockbuster acquisition in the video game industry. The massive deal will bring the maker of popular mobile games like 'Farmville' and 'Words with Friends' under the scope of Take-Two, the company behind 'Grand Theft Auto' and 'NBA 2K.' Kenny Rovello, President & Co-Founder of Arkadium, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
GameStop is getting into the NFT and crypto space. The video game retailer announced the launch of an entire division aimed at creating a marketplace for NFTs and other crypto partnerships. The move comes as part of a turnaround plan by GameStop which has struggled in recent years as gamers shift away from physical game releases. Patrick McConlogue, CEO, Overline & Former Citadel Investment Group Engineer joined Cheddar's Opening Bell.
Philip Levine, Former Mayor of Miami Beach & Cruise Industry Expert, breaks down the challenges cruise operators are facing as COVID-19 cases rise, and provides insight on what the future of the industry may look like.
Jill Klindt, CFO of Workiva, talks about the challenges corporations have implementing ESG initiatives and how CFO's can build a trusted sustainable future.
Matt Orton, Chief Market Strategist at Carillon Tower Advisers, talks about the near-term risks to the market as Fed monetary policy accelerates and highlights areas of the tech sector that may be under-valued.
John Petrides, Portfolio Manager at Tocqueville Asset Management, provides insight on the strength of the Financial sector and highlights opportunities companies have to boost the labor market.
Darren Schuringa, Founder and CEO of ASYMmetric ETFs, talks about the ripple effect inflation has on the market and highlights the areas of tech with growth potential.
U.S. markets opened higher despite red-hot inflation data which showed the highest surge in nearly 40 years. Jon Maier, CIO, GlobalX ETFs joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss this historic report.
Former wide receiver for the New York Giants, Victor Cruz has partnered with Krystal Restaurants, a popular burger chain in the South, to bring the franchise to his home state of New Jersey. Cruz and Alice Crowder, CMO of Krystal Restaurants, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the venture. The five new locations will be known as "Victor Cruz's Krystal," decked out with memorabilia from his football career, with the former player explaining how "hands-on" he plans on being. "You never know, OK? You might walk in and Victor Cruz will be flipping a burger back there, and you might be getting it directly from the source," he said.
Max Bichsel, vice president at Gambling.com Group joins Cheddar News to talk about the growing sports betting industry, New York legalizing mobile betting, and 2022 predictions for the sector.
