[sarathlal]

Ford announced the 'Ford Smart Mobility' plan to use innovation to take company to next level in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and big data. There are 25 experiments identified in this global plan and in India, the Share-Car experiment will be conducted.



About Share-car experiment;
In Bangalore, Ford is working with Zoomcar to test a sharing concept that would allow small groups, such as co-workers, apartment dwellers and families, to share a vehicle among multiple drivers. The approach helps consumers who can’t afford a car but want the benefits of owning one. Researchers plan to develop a model for vehicle scheduling and managing ownership.

The experiment objective is to create a model for easy vehicle sharing among small communities, such as office workers, apartment dwellers and families.

About the Ford Smart Mobility experiments;
The 25 experiments address four global megatrends – explosive population growth, an expanding middle class, air quality and public health concerns, and changing customer attitudes and priorities – challenging today’s transportation model and limiting personal mobility, especially in urban areas.

Fourteen of the 25 experiments are Ford-led research projects, and 11 are part of the company’s Innovate Mobility Challenge Series.

The experiments include:

• Big Data Drive: Dearborn, Michigan
• Fleet Insights: United States
• Data Driven Insurance: London
• Remote Repositioning: Atlanta
• City Driving On-Demand: London
• Dynamic Social Shuttle: New York, London
• Car Swap: Dearborn, Michigan
• ·Ford Carsharing: Germany
• Share-Car: Bangalore, India
• Rapid Recharge & Share: Dearborn, Michigan
• Data Driven Healthcare: The Gambia, West Africa
• Parking Spotter: Atlanta
• Info Cycle: Palo Alto, California
• Painless Parking: London

Source: Ford media center

[Aditya]

American carmaker Ford has announced a Smart Mobility plan to use innovation to enhance connectivity, mobility, customer experience and development of autonomous vehicles. The company has also announced 25 mobility experiments which it will carry out around the world this year. Eight of these experiments will be conducted in North America, nine in Europe and Africa, seven in Asia and one in South America. With them, Ford aims to test transportation ideas for creating better customer experiences, more flexible user models and social collaboration that can reward customers.

Among the mobility experiments is a Share-Car project, which will be carried out in India. Ford is believed to be working with Zoomcar, the self-drive car rental company, in the city of Bangalore to test this concept. Ford claims the concept will allow small groups, such as co-workers, apartment dwellers and families to share a vehicle. With this experiment, Ford aims at helping consumers who cannot afford a car but want to own one. The company's researchers are planning to develop a model for managing vehicle ownership and scheduling.

Ford plans to address four problems which are challenging today's transportation model and limiting personal mobility, especially in urban areas. These problems include explosive population growth, expanding middle class, air quality and public health concerns, and changing customer attitudes and priorities. With the findings from the experiments, the company plans to create a new model of transportation and mobility.

[GTO]

As usual, it's Bangalore that gets this project first. Uber, Zoom Car etc. all started off in Bangalore. With good reason too!

Happy with Ford supporting the concept, but am a bit surprised to see a car manufacturer floating a 'share car' initiative. It's proven that innovative solutions like Uber, Zoom, Zip Car etc. actually take away new car sales, especially negating the need for a 2nd / 3rd car in the house. Car makers are known to frown upon these companies.

Guess only time will tell on the project's success. Look forward to it!

[Ruchitya]

Originally Posted by GTO

As usual, it's Bangalore that gets this project first. Uber, Zoom Car etc. all started off in Bangalore. With good reason too!

Happy with Ford supporting the concept, but am a bit surprised to see a car manufacturer floating a 'share car' initiative. It's proven that innovative solutions like Uber, Zoom, Zip Car etc. actually take away new car sales, especially negating the need for a 2nd / 3rd car in the house. Car makers are known to frown upon these companies.

Guess only time will tell on the project's success. Look forward to it!

I can see a few reasons for this. One could be to increase the brand viability of a Ford among people who aren't too familiar with it. And it is a study to assess the impacts of such an initiative, not an initiative they plan to implement as it is.

[S2!!!]

Probably this is going to be similar to VW's Quicar. As a concept it is quite brilliant but only in those regions which lack public transport or proper transport infrastructure. Then, with the introduction of radio cabs, it is far simpler to call for a cab and get dropped off at your destination rather than hiring a car.

I recently read an article that while the concept of car sharing is likely to pick up in Tier 1 cities of China, China as a whole is a rather aspirational market (similar to India) and unlike developed countries like Germany, people still want to own cars.

In the same breath, I don't think this will actually affect car sales. If anything, those renting these cars might just get impressed and actually buy the cars eventually. It is actually good to see Ford indulging in at least some activity for the Indian market (they seem too happy with exports).

I loved this line on zoomcar's website

[Skidrow]

Just see what Bill Ford had to say to McKinsey on this issue.

http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/inn...for_the_future

when he talks about his TED talk and how Ford has to become a 'mobility company' - interesting insight!