Ready for a big self-drive summer

Car holidays are an increasingly popular form of holiday - at least if you judge by the number of times SOS International helps Nordic drivers who need assistance abroad.

Last year, the number of international assistance cases was in line with - and in some locations slightly above - the 2019 level.

SOS International is well prepared for a big self-drive summer.

Improvements in the rental car market
During covid-19 and in the years after, there have been major challenges in obtaining rental cars. It has been a problem in relation to gaining access to a replacement car if the car breaks down on the journey.

SOS International has been in close dialogue with its foreign partners leading up to the summer season, and significant improvements are being reported this year:

“We expect fewer challenges than last year, but we still have to take into account some after-effects of the pandemic,” says Jörg van den Berk, EVP, Mobility division at SOS International.

Another consequence of the pandemic is the lack of manpower, which also affects the assistance companies and workshops that SOS International collaborates with. This may lead to less availability at the workshops.

Home journey with detours
If you are unfortunate not to be able to drive home from your holiday in your own car, getting home may require some patience. Airline capacity is not at pre-Covid-19 levels.

“Fortunately, we have experienced colleagues at work to find solutions. However, you can probably expect that in some cases it may require some detours and stopovers,” says Jörg van den Berk. 

SOS International’s best advice before going on a car holiday is to be proactive in preventing car breakdowns:

"The very best thing you can do from home is to make sure the car is ready. A driving holiday demands much more from the car than everyday driving does", says Jörg van den Berk.

Self-drive holiday in an electric car
If the car holiday takes place in an electric car, you are guaranteed the same service as with conventional cars. Most important is to plan the route in relation to charging stations. And should you be unlucky, it is worth knowing that a possible replacement car will probably not be an electric car.