ZipCar rental nightmare: In remote area without cell service, car won’t open, won’t start

Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic:

Here is the Public Service Announcement part of the story: If you take a vehicle loaned out by Zipcar—a rental service where drivers use RFID cards or a mobile app to open up the car—to an area without cell reception, there’s a chance the car will not work. The doors won’t open, and even if they do, the engine will not start. And because you will be in an area with no cell reception, it might be impossible for you to call for help.

This is a cost of “connected everywhere”. Good story, a bit of a cautionary tale.