The New Mobility: Cars, Cities and Lifestyles
Automotive industry downturn woes
It’s hardly a secret that diesel engine sales have been on the decline for a good part of the last decade. The Dieselgate scandal, the growing prices of oil, the emergence of electric vehicles, the reduced need for car ownership, and the concentration of dwellers in urban areas have all contributed to this developing trend. As a result, the traditional automotive industry is in crisis and the European economy is on the brink of a downturn.
Automobile manufacturers turn to tech
In an effort to curb the effects of declining diesel engine sales, large manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes Benz, Audi and Volkswagen are all turning to alternative streams of income, including car-sharing offerings, additional services and subscriptions, and most importantly – more sustainable sources of fuel, like electricity. Lagging behind pure auto-tech companies like Tesla, traditional automakers are finding themselves in a political and economical setting that requires them to make the shift from present manufacturing and business models to newer, tech-driven ones.
In addition to some of the automotive add-on services already available on the market (think real-time road assistance, product and service requests), technology-enabled in-car experiences present new possibilities to generate additional income for auto-tech makers. Once most cars become driverless – which is projected to happen in the next decade – opportunities to offer additional experiences that surprise and delight ‘consumers will open up.
As drivers become passengers, saving time and getting things done on the daily commute is bound to become the norm. Need to get a massage, finish a business report, meditate, learn a new language, or watch the news while being driven to and from the home or the office by AI? These in-car experiences and more will be available in the vehicles of tomorrow. To accommodate the new autonomy available to passengers en-route and meet changing demands, vehicles are likely to evolve in their dimensions, appearance, and the level of comfort they offer. The future commute will resemble spending time in a lounge more so than in the automobile as we know it.
Mobility in cities
Living cities
With the emergence of various advances in hardware and software, the ubiquity of remote work, the desire for a sustainable future, and recent improvements in urban planning, the way we move about urban centers is transforming. We no longer need bulky vehicles that cause pollution and traffic in cities – we can just as well hop on the public transport, hail a ride-sharing service, or rent an e-vehicle for a quick swirl around town. All these novelties are leading to better citizen safety, less noise, traffic, and CO2 pollution, and increased opportunities to create tech-driven services and mobile apps that help people get around.
How smart cities tackle mobility in the coming years will largely depend on public and private funding, urban planning, technology, and connectivity. The opportunity to transform cities into healthy living hubs for urban dwellers is ripe for the picking.
Materials on the move
The creation of smart materials in labs is going to lead to a new type of future-minded mobility solutions that incorporate intelligent, user-friendly design. The availability of new generation materials will also lead to the emergence of new technology devices that are more sustainable, adaptable and long-lasting, including some we have not yet envisioned.
Lifestyle mobility
Premium sharing services are also on the rise. We now have apps for all the services we consume, including music streaming, video streaming, film streaming, audiobooks and book summaries streaming, ride sharing, car sharing, apartment sharing, and more. As technology evolves and our lives become even more connected, tech-driven and mobile, so will the range of services and applications geared towards meeting our every need, plus those we didn’t know we had, too.
The services of the future will require the right technology stack to enable them – fast, user-focused and agile algorithms, apps, and systems. Be sure to select a future-oriented partner to help you enter this new era, one like Pegus Digital. Contact us to find out more!
Copywriter inadanova.com
