The mobility industry involves thinking more broadly about how consumers will engage their vehicles. There are four distinct, observable technology areas driving this shift, and they moved from the future into the now.
- Connectivity: Connectivity has the benefit of the longest involvement in the vehicle, and is most familiar to the consumer. An example is On-Star, GM’s popular “help button, that provides directions to emergency services.
- Redefined mobility: Driven by the success of ride-sharing services like Uber, the very nature of what we consider “mobility” is shifting the definition of consumer engagement in a vehicle. Most major manufacturers are considering how these trends will impact new development and design. This will result in changes in the physical development of vehicles and the software that’s inside them.
- Autonomous vehicles: Industry observers and consumers are more aware of the safety issues and technological challenges involved in AV, and the political realities around the likely regulations and necessary standards in the space.
- Electrification: We’ve seen significant movement toward the mainstreaming of “EVs,” with improved battery technology, emissions standards becoming tougher, and consumers demanding better clean technology. The growth has been steady, but slower than proponents of the technology would prefer to see.