It really feels like we’ve woken up to the dawn of the new transportation era. Things are just getting started, but if you look closely you’ll see new mobility services popping up all over the globe. Some are straightforward transportation solutions. Others employ new technologies in pursuit of the ultimate indulgence. Here’s a list of some of our favorites:
1. Chariot. Traditionally, waiting for a bus requires blind trust and often ends in disappointment. Chariot gives the rider confidence with just a touch of technology. Ford’s microtransit service allows you to reserve a seat, track your driver, and vote on new routes.
2. Waze Carpool. Match up with a random carpool buddy going in your direction and take advantage of the HOV lane. Great for commuters making the same daily roundtrip. The idea has been around for decades (slugging, anyone?), but Waze takes some of the uncertainty out of the process.
3. Cove. Ever been out car shopping and couldn’t decide between the Range Rover or Jaguar? Have them both! Cove places high-end vehicles in luxury buildings for tenants to indulge themselves on demand.
4. Porsche Passport. Love the variety of Cove, but the thought of being car-less even for a moment send you into a panic? Enter the luxury subscription. For $2,000 a month, your personal concierge will hand-detail, fuel and deliver a Porsche Boxster to swap for your Macan. H/T: step up to the top shelf “Accelerate” membership (911s, Panameras, oh my), because what’s an extra $1,000 per month among friends?
5. Green Commuter. Their all-electric vanpool fleet of Tesla Model Xs will make it hard to go back to a traditional commute. Ever.
6. Zipcar. The grandaddy of modern car share in America, Zipcar keeps a massive presence on university campuses, so they provide our future urbanites a great introduction to the world of mobility.
7. Evo. Evo’s 1,000 Prius hybrids complement Vancouver’s reputation as one of the world’s cleanest outdoor sports cities. All equipped with bike and ski racks, members locate the nearest vehicle, access it with their smartphone, and head out on one of BC’s epic adventures.
8. Cruise Anywhere. For a handful of General Motors employees, the future is here. Cruise Anywhere is a functioning autonomous ride service that these human guinea pigs can summon on demand. And with autonomous vehicle technology, that’s the point. The big question that remains is when we’ll see this type of technology widespread in the hands of the public.
Interested in learning how you might integrate a similar service model into your business? Launch Mobility can help! We offer a flexible technology platform and operational design expertise to help you achieve your mobility services goals. Contact us and let’s talk about how we can drive innovation in mobility services together.