Skip to main content

Evolving commuters' demands to pave the way for car-sharing business models

Physical integration of public transit systems with car-sharing will enhance convenience and drive growth opportunities, finds Frost & Sullivan's Mobility Team. Its latest study, Future of Car-sharing Market to 2025, says that with vehicle automation rapidly gaining currency, cars-haring operators (CSOs) are developing novel business models to address the evolving mobility demands of commuters. They will initially offer self-parking services, allowing members to drop off vehicles at designated parking lo
October 5, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Physical integration of public transit systems with car-sharing will enhance convenience and drive growth opportunities, finds 2097 Frost & Sullivan's Mobility Team.

Its latest study, Future of Car-sharing Market to 2025, says that with vehicle automation rapidly gaining currency, cars-haring operators (CSOs) are developing novel business models to address the evolving mobility demands of commuters. They will initially offer self-parking services, allowing members to drop off vehicles at designated parking lots, and gradually roll out short-distance parking service, wherein self-driven vehicles will be driven into parking lots. Finally, once complete automation is possible, collaboration with key players and convergence with public transport will change the mobility industry.

As automated driving will dilute the need for personal ownership, traditional car owners will gravitate toward car-sharing services. Furthermore, the worsening levels of traffic congestion and pollution due to the development of mega-cities and urbanisation foster a favourable environment for efficient travel services.

"The convenience, flexibility and security of car-sharing services make a strong case for the adoption of integrated mobility services," said Mobility senior research analyst Krishna Achuthan. "This, in turn, will lead to a number of mergers and acquisitions among industry majors that recognise the market benefits of offering such systems and digital platforms."

In addition to market consolidation, technology advances and government initiatives will give a huge boost to car-sharing services, with the number subscribers expected to cross 36 million by 2025 from 7.9 million in 2015. However, to achieve optimum market potential, CSOs need to counter the high insurance cost and inadequate demand in areas with low population density.

1731 BMW's 6452 DriveNow and ReachNow, 2069 Daimler's 4190 Car2Go, 3874 Zipcar, Bollore Group and GM currently are the prominent players in the space. This pool of competitors is set to expand with advances in public transit systems.

"Physical integration of public transit systems with car-sharing will allow users to book both cars and train tickets through one single mobile app and thereby, enhance convenience and drive member growth," noted Achuthan. "In future, car-sharing models are likely to expand to include peer-to-peer and corporate services on the same platform, as well as consolidate with adjacent mobility services like leasing, car rental and bike sharing."

Related Content

  • February 25, 2013
    NEC receives new product innovation award
    NEC Europe has received Frost and Sullivan’s 2012 European Vehicular Communications New Product Innovation Award for its vehicular communications systems. The 2012 Frost and Sullivan New Product Innovation Awards are based on an independent analysis of the European vehicular communication market, and the award recognises NEC’s leadership in this market throughout the past four years and its unique potential for the upcoming mass market introduction of products. Frost and Sullivan has recognised NEC’s vehicu
  • March 29, 2018
    Report highlights community impact of new mobility options
    Local authorities and communities must understand the impacts of the new mobility options and regulate to get the transport systems they want, according to a new report. Colin Sowman takes a look. Outside of the big cities plagued with congestion, the existing transportation system(s) often cope adequately, and the ongoing workload (maintenance, safety…) is more than enough to keep local transport authorities busy. Is it, therefore, a good use of public service employees’ time to keep abreast of the raft
  • April 30, 2021
    Sandra Phillips of Movmi: ‘We’re all trying to get people moving without a car’
    Movmi founder Sandra Phillips talks to Adam Hill about why transport integration is sometimes a matter of trust – and how to empower women in transportation
  • February 5, 2024
    Ertico publishes ITS Market Radar report
    Focus includes connected, cooperative & automated mobility, plus sustainability and MaaS