Many innovations and mobility services are blurring the lines between public transport and private car ownership, creating several opportunities for new mobility services, says growth partnership Frost & Sullivan in a new study.

Over the past few years, urban municipalities’ need to combat congestion and pollution has driven transformational mobility solutions such as carsharing, e-hailing, ridesharing, and bike sharing, added Frost & Sullivan’s research “Global Mobility Market, Strategic Insight 2017”.

The study finds that mobility solution providers are expected to focus on offering robust security systems to enable cashless payments and understand customer preferences. The study analyses the evolving business models, advanced technology trends, market consolidations and partnerships, and regulatory reforms currently occurring within the global mobility space. Six collaborative business models, i.e. carsharing, peer-to-peer carsharing, corporate carsharing, e-hailing, integrated mobility, and ridesharing are discussed in the report.

While challenges exist in the form of the regulatory outlook, competition, and advent of new technologies, the increasing demand for mobility solutions and new business and revenue avenues for growth offer ample opportunities, the research said.

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are exploring new opportunities across the shared mobility ecosystem. Partnering with and investing in e-hailing, ridesharing, smart parking and technology providers will help OEMs realize their goal of becoming a one-stop shop for all mobility needs.

“Traditional modes of travel included taxi services which was used for short distance travel but is costly, and then there is public transport that covers longer distances but is less expensive. The mobility landscape is now evolving with a host of mobility services like carsharing, carpooling, bike sharing that are combining the benefits of both,” said Frost & Sullivan Future of Mobility Industry analyst Albert Priya.

“Thanks to smartphones, connected transportation services are becoming more efficient and convenient. People are able to commute in buses, cars, trains, bikes with the help of increased access to information and the awareness of different solutions pertaining to a personal mobility need. With a goal to offer more convenience in transportation in which people can chose the most logical means of transport, the idea of integrated mobility services is emerging. Integrated mobility business models will create a single proposition that is competitive to private car ownership and public.

“With OEMs shifting to the car-as-a-service business model, mobility-as-a-service is expected to take off,” Priya added.

Technology is facilitating a rise in new mobility business models, particularly app-based, on-demand services that encourage access to mobility, rather than ownership. Strategic imperatives for success and growth in this dynamic market include:

•    A value shift from product to service with market evolution from “car as a product” to the “car as an enabler” of a connected living ecosystem;
•    New mobility business models that are sustainable and profitable once integrated with other mobility platforms;
•    Advanced technologies such as automated driving, connected mobility, electric vehicle charging, and health, wellness, and wellbeing solutions playing a pivotal role in terms of improving the experience offered by vehicle sharing operators by 2025; and
•    Customers demanding intuitive services in business-to-consumer and business-to-business environments, thereby propelling participants to invest in delivering seamless propositions and user experiences for integrated mobility.

“In the long term, user experience will shift from a product-based experience to a service-based one, and the focus will be on connectivity,” noted Priya. “Cities are launching Smart City initiatives across the world and shared mobility will be at the core, providing first- and last-mile connectivity.” – TradeArabia News Service