While the current utilization of shared cars is 5 percent, Japanese information and communication technology firm Fujitsu America Inc. expects those levels to increase to at least 50 percent by 2030. As Mobility as a Service (MaaS) becomes more prevalent in consumers’ daily lives, there will be a need for improved driving efficiency, mobility options, and usage of cars.
“We’re beginning to see the emergence of a technology-led digital transformation with consumer purchase habits shifting from the must-have car to the shared mobile device offering transportation options,” says Paul Warburton, global head of automotive at Fujitsu America. “As intelligent mobility continues to mature, MaaS providers will need to find innovative ways to maximize the uses of their autonomous fleets going beyond providing passenger services by expanding into areas such as parcel delivery and environmental services.
“The success of a MaaS provider will be determined by how much utilization they can gain from their accessible fleet, the value they can offer, and the agility to meet the evolving demands of an instant gratification society. If car companies wish to lead this digital transformation, they will need to be quick to change and willing to see the automobile as enabling technology and not the primary value proposition as it has been.”
As mobility services continue to expand, global consulting firm Frost and Sullivan predicts that more than 20 million vehicles could be removed from the road. To stay competitive, experts believe automotive manufacturers must think beyond the traditional making and selling of cars and move towards a digitally transforming auto industry by partnering with information technology vendors.
As the MaaS continues to grow with a reported $400 million in revenue in 2015, future motorists will have additional options regarding how they access cars; most will buy or rent it out to other drivers or join a subscription-based service, giving them access to multiple models.
Physical keys are also expected to soon become extinct as biometric authentication becomes the norm and cars are shared between multiple drivers. Beyond operation of the car, biometics can create a personalized and flexible experience, including touch-screen dashboards for navigation and entertainment and other features. These high-end features and digitalization of the automotive industry offers not only a more personalized experience, but additional responsibilities.
“Mobility-as-a-Service cannot succeed without a sound security and identity strategy and integrated program,” says Jason Bradlee, head of security for Fujitsu America. “With connected components and motorists’ profile information available through cloud-based models, it will become vitally important that car companies detect security threats, and fraudulent identity attempts, utilizing such technologies as Biometrics-as-a-Service. This is an area especially where car manufacturers need to look outside of their companies and enlist the help and support of technology partners.”
Frost and Sullivan’s full report can be found here.
