Avancar started offering car sharing services in Barcelona in 2004. As in most car sharing businesses, customers would typically make car reservations by the hour, and pick up and drop off the cars on their own (self-service). By 2008, the company had 2000 customers sharing more than 100 vehicles. As Avancar kept growing, it had the possibility of modifying the design of the service process and the management of its capacity. This was especially important since some traditional rental companies were launching similar services in the city.