Buzzword: MaaS
MaaS stands for Mobility As a Service. This is a trend that is in the beginning of changing the entire automotive ecosystem. OEMs and sub-suppliers better be ready to think about their business models sooner than later. We contacted MaaS Global, the first MaaS company in the world that recently raised $33 million in funds for their ideas, to hear them out about their view on this buzzword.
MaaS Global have a vision for a future with an alternative to private car ownership, offering the same experience of freedom – via an award-winning app called Whim App. This vision includes cleaner air, less traffic and more parks instead of parking lots. And, in many cities, the infrastructure already exists to support this vision in trains, metros, taxis, scooters, bikes, and car rentals.
MaaS Global mean that this future means a big disruption to the status quo, taking with it the well-established dream of owning a car. Naturally, there is some concern from OEMs and sub-suppliers that this model could threaten their existence. But, in fact, this is far from what MaaS Global predicts – as taxis, carshares and car rentals are very much part of a true MaaS solution. The sustainable modes; walking, cycling and public transport are the backbone of MaaS, but to complete with car ownership is necessary to offer a wide array of transport services.
As the number of private owned cars decreases, the need for various types of fleets will increase. Another thing to consider is that today it is estimated that the average car is only in use 3-5% of the time. With a MaaS model, car utilization will go up substantially.
What we decide today, will have long-term effects on how our cities look tomorrow. At MaaS Global, the dream is to work with partners to provide an environmentally sustainable, seamless travel experience…including a great range of options.
It may be worth noting that a number of OEMs and tier one suppliers have already embraced a MaaS model and are themselves making significant investments in MaaS.
MaaS explained in 4 short bullets:
1. It means a shift towards an alternative to private car ownership
2. It will change our way of transports and disrupt the automotive industry
3. A lot of money is being invested in MaaS and OEMs and sub-suppliers may have to act quickly on this, either invest in start-ups or creating their own new business models
4. Various types of transport fleets will increase as a direct result
More about MaaS Global:
MaaS Global, founded in 2015, is the first MaaS company (Mobility as a Service). In November 2017, the company launched the Whim mobility application, which has already been used for over six million trips. Whim currently operates in Helsinki, Birmingham, Antwerp and Vienna. Shareholders in MaaS Global include Aioi Nissay Dowa, BP Ventures, Denso International Europe, Karsan Otomotiv, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsui Fudosan, Nordic Ninja, Swithcom Teknoloji, Toyota Financial Services, Transdev Group and Veho. The total funding is EUR 53.7 million.
Source: Julie Jacobson Möller, Business Development, Scandinavia & Krista Huhtala-Jenks, Head of Ecosystems & Sustainability at MaaS & www.maas.global
