Caura: app designed to empower drivers

24 September 2020 | David Young

Drivers set up Caura using just a vehicle registration number, and can immediately take care of their parking, tolls, MOT, road tax, car insurance, and congestion charges

Caura: app designed to empower drivers

"The billions of pounds in penalty fees UK consumers incur from mistakes or late payments for parking, congestion charges, road tax, tolls, MOT and insurance are totally avoidable," said Dr Sai Lakshmi, CEO and Founder of Caura. "The incumbent system - fragmented, confusing and outdated - is not only costly but a massive source of anxiety. By eliminating the need for dozens of apps and services, we are removing hassle, confusion and unnecessary expenses of car ownership."

To get started, customers simply enter their vehicle registration number to clearly see the status of the car's tax, MOT and insurance renewal dates. From the home screen, users can also pay for selected parking, toll roads and congestion charges. The FCA approved app integrates with payment technologies like Apple Pay or safely stores a driver's payment details, which can be used to pay in just two clicks.

In-app notifications remind drivers when it's time to pay for the car-related tasks above. These notifications are designed to reduce the millions of automated fines or PCNs (penalty charge notices) issued to Britons each year.

Currently, 25% of UK MOTs are conducted late, meaning at any time 8 million cars on the road have potentially dangerous defects such as bald tyres, worn brakes or blown bulbs. By serving push notifications to remind drivers to get their MOT renewed on time, Caura is supporting safer roads in the UK.

"Caura uniquely provides digital infrastructure desperately needed in today's fractured and outdated ecosystem to provide a 21st century driving experience," said investor Rob Wilmot. "The team has done a remarkable job bringing together an entire industry, integrating private and public companies, government bodies with proprietary technology into a beautiful and simple-to-use app. Aggregating these services into a single interface will make life easier for millions of people every day."

Caura can be used for a single vehicle and can also support multiple registered vehicles. This makes it ideal for fleet managers.

Currently available on iOS, Caura will be available on Android within the year. In Q4 2020, the company has major plans to significantly expand its product offerings to continue to improve the car ownership experience for Britons.

Source: Caura