Karshare was inspired by Hibbert's bad car rental experience in the US and the success of Airbnb. He raised funds from angel investors and secured a partnership with Gatwick Airport. The platform allowed people to rent out their cars when they were not in use, freeing up space in airport parking lots. However, the travel industry came to a halt due to the pandemic, disrupting Karshare's business model. In response, the company pivoted to allow people to rent their cars from their homes. They also introduced a keyless system to streamline the rental process.

Unfortunately, criminals discovered a loophole in Karshare's system and began using the platform for illegal activities. They found ways to bypass the online checks and used still photographs to trick the facial recognition system. This not only raised concerns for users but also created financial liabilities for Karshare. If a criminal crashed a car or claimed it was stolen, the insurance company would not cover the damages. Karshare attempted to address this issue by implementing video recognition and random ID checks, but it proved to be a costly and time-consuming process.

Despite the challenges faced by Karshare, Hibbert remains resilient. He acknowledges that failures are common in the startup world and believes in learning from them. He plans to explore opportunities in sustainable farming technology, focusing on using algae as a fertilizer and finding more efficient ways to feed cattle. Hibbert's experience with Karshare serves as a reminder for sharing economy businesses to anticipate and address potential vulnerabilities.

Original news source: Covid and criminals ruined my Airbnb for cars idea' (BBC)

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Give each team a set of vocabulary words related to the article. One member from each team will come to the front and act out a word silently, using only gestures, while their team tries to guess the word. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Continue until all the words have been acted out.
– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, have students take turns summarizing the main points of the article to their partner. Encourage them to use their own words and focus on the most important information. After each summary, have the partner provide feedback and ask any questions they have.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write a series of statements related to the article on the board, such as "Karshare should have anticipated the potential for criminals to abuse the system" or "The Covid-19 pandemic was the main reason for Karshare's failure." Have students move around the room and talk to their classmates, asking for their opinions on each statement. They should record their classmates' responses and be prepared to share the results with the class.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and give each group a large piece of paper or a whiteboard. Have them create a pros and cons list for starting a car-sharing platform like Karshare. Encourage them to think about the potential benefits and drawbacks, considering the challenges faced by Karshare. After they have completed their lists, have each group share their thoughts with the class and facilitate a discussion.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs, have students take turns making predictions about the future of the sharing economy and car-sharing platforms like Karshare. They should base their predictions on the challenges faced by Karshare and the current trends in the industry. After making their predictions, have students explain their reasoning and discuss their predictions with their partner.

London-based entrepreneur Andy Hibbert had a vision to create a car-sharing platform similar to ?. He founded Karshare in 2016, which allowed ? to rent out their cars to tourists visiting the UK. The business ? traction and even ? with Gatwick Airport. However, the double blow of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine caused Karshare to fail. Additionally, the company faced an unexpected problem: criminals abusing the system. They realized they could easily and cheaply rent cars through Karshare for illicit activities. This posed both practical and financial challenges for the ?. Despite the setback, ? remains optimistic and is exploring opportunities in sustainable farming technology. Karshare was inspired by Hibbert's bad car rental experience in the US and the success of Airbnb. He raised funds from angel investors and secured a partnership with Gatwick Airport. The platform allowed people to rent out their cars when they were not in use, freeing up space in airport parking lots. However, the travel ? came to a halt due to the pandemic, ? Karshare's business model. In response, the company pivoted to allow people to rent their cars from their ?. They also introduced a keyless system to streamline the rental process. Unfortunately, ?s discovered a loophole in Karshare's system and ? using the platform for illegal activities. They found ways to bypass the ? checks and used still photographs to trick the facial recognition system. This not only raised concerns for users but also created financial liabilities for Karshare. If a criminal crashed a car or claimed it was stolen, the insurance company would not cover the damages. Karshare attempted to address this issue by implementing video recognition and random ID checks, but it ? to be a costly and time-consuming process. Despite the challenges faced by Karshare, Hibbert remains resilient. He ? that failures are common in the startup world and believes in learning from them. He plans to explore opportunities in sustainable farming ?, focusing on using algae as a fertilizer and finding more efficient ways to feed cattle. Hibbert's ? with Karshare serves as a reminder for sharing economy businesses to anticipate and address potential vulnerabilities.

1. What do you think about the idea of renting out your car to strangers?
2. Have you ever had a bad experience with a car rental company? If so, can you share what happened?
3. How would you feel if you found out that criminals were using a car-sharing platform for illegal activities?
4. Do you think it's important for businesses to anticipate and address potential vulnerabilities? Why or why not?
5. Have you ever used a sharing economy platform like Airbnb or Uber? If so, what was your experience like?
6. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of using a keyless system for car rentals?
7. How do you think the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the sharing economy?
8. What are some other potential vulnerabilities that sharing economy businesses might face?
9. Do you think it's possible to completely eliminate the risk of criminals abusing a sharing economy platform? Why or why not?
10. How do you think the travel industry will recover from the impact of the pandemic?
11. Have you ever invested in a startup? If so, what was your experience like?
12. Do you think it's important for entrepreneurs to remain optimistic in the face of failure? Why or why not?
13. What other industries do you think could benefit from the sharing economy model?
14. How do you think the use of technology can help prevent criminals from abusing sharing economy platforms?
15. Would you consider using a car-sharing platform like Karshare in the future? Why or why not?

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