Hardware and controls for personal vehicle rental

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive input defining one or more vehicle parameters to monitor using a vehicle computing system;

monitor the vehicle parameters, via the vehicle computing system, during a vehicle rental period, wherein the rental period begins when an authorized user keylessly activates a vehicle during a defined start time and ends when the vehicle is powered down following either a predetermined end time or when the vehicle is returned to a predetermined geographic area; and

initiate communication of the vehicle parameters from the vehicle computing system to a vehicle rental administrative system through a cellular telephone, located in proximity to the vehicle and in wireless communication with the processor.

2. The system of claim 1 additionally comprising a vehicle rental administrative system wherein the vehicle rental administrative system is configured to allow a selection of vehicle parameters to be monitored by the processor.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the selection of vehicle parameters is done by a vehicle owner's nomadic device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle parameters include global position coordinates.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the global position coordinates identifies where the vehicle is located at a given time during the rental period.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined geographic area is a parking location defined by a vehicle owner.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the cellular telephone is integrated with the processor.

8. A system comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive input defining a vehicle parameter to monitor, via a vehicle computing system (VCS);

monitor the vehicle parameter, via the VCS, during a vehicle rental period; and

limit vehicle performance, via the VCS, if the parameter exceeds a predefined threshold during the vehicle rental period, the threshold having been dynamically defined for the rental period.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the vehicle parameter is cargo load weight.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the predefined threshold includes cargo load weight restrictions.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the cargo load weight restriction is a set numerical value.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the limited vehicle performance includes a reduction in engine power.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the reduction in engine power includes limiting vehicle top speed.

14. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving an input defining a vehicle parameter to monitor;

monitoring the vehicle parameter, via a vehicle computer, during a vehicle rental period, the rental period beginning upon vehicle keyless activation during a defined start time and ending upon vehicle power down following either a predetermined end time or when a vehicle is returned to a predetermined geographic area; and

initiating communication of the vehicle parameters from the vehicle computer to a vehicle rental administrative system through a cellular telephone, located in proximity to the vehicle and in wireless communication with the vehicle computer.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising a vehicle rental administrative system communicating the monitor vehicle parameters to a vehicle owner nomadic device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein communication to the vehicle owner is done by a server.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the vehicle owner nomadic device is a smart phone.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the input defining a vehicle parameter is defined by a vehicle owner.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein monitoring the vehicle parameters corresponds to at least one detected driver behavior event.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the driver behavior event includes excessive vehicle speeds.