The Car And Our Digital Lives

Why This

It is undisputable that mobility is evolving, gradually turning into an interconnected mobile ecosystem. This ecosystem will span well beyond traditional mobility activities and will include services that are core of our digital lives.

The Backdrop

Generally, as a society we must find solutions to challenges such as a growing population, urbanization and scarce energy resources. These and other macro trends undoubtedly shape the mobility sector.

Without question the autonomous car will play a central in the future of the mobility sector. Actually, mobility concepts around Level Five autonomous cars are no science fiction dream any more.

The Trend

Likewise, the convenience and efficiency of moving somebody or something from A to B will be of critical importance to mobility users – it is a key area where technology has been adding significant value already and will continue to do so.

Equally important, however, mobility users seek the flexibility, convenience and breadth of digital activities at all times – at home, in a restaurant or in a car. They have become accustomed to their digital life that they are unwilling to miss out on it even temporarily.

In that context we view the car as the ultimate mobile device. Hence, a central question is how to integrate the mobility user’s digital life into the car.

The Impacts

Tomorrow’s mobility users will mercilessly require a seamless digital experience inside and outside the car, requiring a significant array of both driving-related (e.g. connected navigation, networked parking, intelligent navigation, usage-based insurance) and driving-unrelated services (e.g. messaging, music, payments). Powered by Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning etc., the car will be able to grant the user a fun and efficient experience beyond the driving (or being driven) from A to B.

Those OEMs that address this customer request the best will have the strongest position in an immensely changing market.

In conclusion, at the center of a future-prone OEM business model will be an ecosystem that integrates the broad array of driving-related but also driving-unrelated services desired by the mobility user. Whether it is via internal R&D or via external initiatives such as venture capital and M&A: it is time for automotive OEMs to develop and implement respective strategies. Google & Co. are not sleeping…