The future of shared mobility

So, what is mobility? The definition reads, “the ability to move freely and easily.” We humans will always use our two feet to move around freely, but in today’s modern, fast-paced world, “shared mobility” continues to make getting from point A to point B faster, easier, better for the environment, and more affordable than ever. 

What is shared mobility?

Shared mobility is when one consumer or a group of consumers pay a fee to ride with shared transportation services. Another form of shared mobility is when a single mode of transportation is shared among paying users, or, is utilized by one paying individual right after another – typically using mobile apps. These are some popular examples of shared mobility:

• Bike sharing (rentable foot-powered or electric bicycles found docked or free standing around a city used for short trips)
• Carsharing (car rental where car owners rent their personal vehicles to qualified drivers)
• Ridesharing (like Uber or Lyft)
• Scooter sharing (rentable electric scooters randomly placed in urban areas, similar to bike sharing)

Carpool, public transit, taxis, limos, and taking an airport shuttle are also considered forms of shared mobility in the sharing economy. A non-mobility form in the sharing economy that you might recognize is Airbnb, where you can earn money by listing your spare room or apartment and rent it out to travelers. 

Advantages of shared mobility:

• Reduces the number of cars on the road and decreases urban traffic jams
• Provides jobs, especially to those looking to start a career as a rideshare driver
• Cuts down on pollution from auto emissions
• Makes getting around a congested city easier and faster
• Provides transportation to drivers who can’t afford a car or who don’t want to own their own vehicle
• Eases the issues of transportation services faced by consumers with special needs or disabilities who need special mobility services

What is Mobility as a Service?

Mobility as a Service, also known as “MaaS”, is when various kinds of transportation services, like public transit, carpooling, ridesharing, or carsharing, are combined into one on-demand shared mobility service. In other words, on-demand rides, bikes, mobility scooters, deliveries, and vehicles can be conveniently and affordably ordered through a mobile app or website. And since more and more drivers are no longer interested in owning a car or just plain can’t afford to maintain one, MaaS is playing a big part in the shared mobility industry. Here are a few sharing economy statistics:

• It’s predicted that 130 million shared cars will be on the road by 2030.
• Studies show that using ridesharing for transportation is 24% cheaper than owning and maintaining a private vehicle.
• Car manufacturers are quietly investing huge amounts of cash into mobility service technologies, including self-driving cars, in order to stay relevant within the rapidly evolving transportation industry.

Shared mobility economy in the United States:

Transportation experts predict that MaaS will become a $358.35 billion market in the U.S. by 2025. This would be a nearly $300 billion increase since 2017. Our country’s population is constantly growing, meaning the number of cars clogging our roads is growing as well. Shared mobility should be a priority when it comes to consumer transportation in the U.S., as more and more private vehicles are fighting for room on limited road space. Put simply, shared transportation is the most efficient way to reduce traffic congestion in our urban American cities. Through new mobility solutions and transportation as a service, it is noticeable that there are already measurable differences in the relationships between Americans and their once-beloved automobiles.

• The number of 20-24 year old Americans with drivers licenses has decreased by nearly 20% over the last few years. This younger population is just not into buying and maintaining a costly vehicle.
• A recent Reuters poll shows that 9% of Americans have actually sold their cars and now exclusively use mobility services that provide public transit, carpooling, carsharing, and ridesharing for their transportation needs.
• Another 9% of Americans use a combination of mass transit and cycling to get to work or run errands. Busses have bike racks attached to the front so you can ride a longer distance on the bus and then pedal the rest of the way to your destination.

Autonomous vehicles

Autonomous vehicles, or self driving cars, are all over the news these days. Once thought of as a Jetsons-like future, the driverless car has arrived, and big money is being invested into autonomy and the technology behind it. There’s still a lot of testing and perfection to be done, but soon enough, you may find yourself playing Fortnite on your smartphone, or even taking a nap, while your future cars drive you to work. Of course, some transportation experts welcome driverless cars, while others debate their safety issues, among other concerns. Here are some pros and cons:

Pros:

• Human error is greatly reduced. Computers, unlike human drivers, aren’t “distracted” by texts or phone calls, two leading causes of car accidents in the United States.
• A driverless car could drop off a passenger, drive itself to a designated parking area, and then return for a pick up at a designated time. This would free up street parking in a congested area.
• Traffic would be improved, as the driverless vehicles would be monitored and controlled by a remote system.
• Speed would be controlled by on-board sensors, keeping a vehicle within posted limits. The car would also sense distances between itself and other vehicles, allowing for safer driving behavior and less collisions.
• Passengers with physical disabilities will be able to travel easier.

Cons:

• The cost. Right now, the engineering, power requirements and software that goes into an autonomous car puts the price tag at a jaw dropping $100,000.
• Autonomous driving means less human drivers are needed, resulting in a massive loss of jobs in the freight delivery and rideshare driver industry. The economy as a whole could suffer.
• There’s the possibility that the GPS signals and A.I. tech in driverless vehicles could be compromised by hackers, with dangerous consequences.
• Severe weather could cause the car’s sensors to fail while on the road.
• Millions of people actually enjoy driving, so the chances of them buying a self driving car would be slim.

Shared mobility within car dealers and large OEMs

As stated earlier, shared mobility is growing by leaps and bounds, meaning car dealers, OEMs, and automakers will need to reconfigure their business models in order to adapt to ongoing changes in consumer transportation. These industries are beginning to experience the need for shared mobility in their specific areas in order to keep up with local mobility trends, including mobility as a service.

HyreCar and MaaS:

• HyreCar is working closely with car dealers, automotive retailers, and remarketers to help them navigate the developing shared mobility industry by providing critical resources to implement a successful MaaS business.
• Our turnkey self-service car sharing platform allows auto dealers, auto remarketers, and OEMs to quickly and profitably scale their business by listing and renting their vehicles to rideshare drivers. In this way, we enable them to succeed in the future of shared mobility.