The world is transitioning to a new mobility ecosystem, and we are witnessing the second inflection point driven by Electric Vehicles, Hydrogen-powered vehicles, Hyperloop, Glydways, Autonomous Vehicles, Air taxis, etc. The fundamental objectives for all these innovations are Inclusiveness, Safety, Efficiency, and Green Mobility.
As the UN estimates, the world’s population will swell to 9.7 billion by 2050, and technology has come to the rescue to meet the mobility demands of the future, aligning with the fundamental guidelines. In the field of mobility, technology has been able to spur significant advancements. Massive improvements are in near foresight as the policymakers are encouraging the industry players with incentives to explore prolific avenues. Currently, the focus is on CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Electric) for smart mobility & here are some latest improvements to learn about.
Electric Vehicles
With respect to EVs, TESLA leads from the front, and other automakers follow suit. EVs are proliferating while ICEs (Internal Combustion Engines) count their years. Toyota has plans to launch 30 EVs by 2030 at spending of $17 billion and has already launched its first long-range bZ4X this 2022. Ford anticipates 40% of its global car volume to be all-electric by 2030, and the company is electrifying its most iconic products – the Mustang, F-150, and Transit. Hyundai is targeting 7% of the Global EV Market by 2030. And GM will invest $35 billion in EV and AV product development spending through 2025.
Mobility as a Service
The future is less about vehicle ownership and more about Mobility as a Service. MaaS would ease access to services at a much lower cost than complete ownership. Glydways is a new, on-demand, anytime, public transportation system with autonomous, personal Glydcars with a max capacity of 4 passengers moving in dedicated lanes, providing better safety. It also proposes to have less carbon footprint and have solar panels along the routes.
Waymo, the driverless taxi service by Google, has been operating for a few years now. A similar service from GM, named Cruise, has also begun its operations. Elon Musk’s promise that his electric car company would run a robotic taxi fleet is already overdue. At the same time, Hyundai showcased a pilot RoboRide car-hailing service in Gangnam in Seoul, South Korea, utilizing IONIQ 5 battery electric vehicles (BEV) with in-house developed level 4 autonomous driving technology. Toronto-based NuPort Robotics is one of the autonomous trucking companies already plying public roads, moving goods from warehouses to rail terminals in Ontario.
Autonomous Mobility
KPMG’s 2020 Autonomous Vehicles Readiness Index states the key enablers as safety, privacy, digital infrastructure, impact on transport systems, and cross-border travel. The report lists Singapore as the top most ranked, followed by the Netherlands, Norway, USA, and Finland in the top 5 of the total 30 countries. The Indian government is also focused on developing the use of EVs before it tackles AV, as driverless cars would account for the potential job loss of 2.2 million commercial drivers. Smart cities will have a significant role to play in autonomous vehicle penetration by enabling connected traffic grids, digitized city parking, etc.
Connected Intelligence
Connected intelligence goes beyond communication and leaps into driver safety, insurance, fleet management, telematics, infotainment, cybersecurity, e-commerce, autonomous driving, voice recognition, and predictive maintenance. It enhances predictive services like personalized infotainment and optimized routes based on live traffic, traffic signals, weather, etc.
KPMG forecasts the global value of the mobility ecosystem to grow to more than US$1 trillion by 2030. To address the growing complexity and the need to innovate, automotive OEMs are partnering with IT solution providers and reimagining their offerings – which presents the software industry with clear areas of scope in technologies such as ADAS, AI/ML, IoT, and Cybersecurity.
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