New technology hasn’t yet solved the challenges of urban mobility, but it is certainly opening up new avenues of exploration. Cities continue to grapple with the long-standing challenge of how to move a growing number of people in the most efficient, affordable, and convenient manner, with the more recent complication of Net Zero commitments. Views on what the end game should look like vary, but some include micro EVs, eVTOL and robotaxis, while pretty much every vision touches on connected mobility and public transportation.
But that’s not to say the days of the private passenger car are numbered. Brands are putting a new twist on customer engagement, often supported by the use of digital technology, and revamping design and R&D strategies towards a more user-centric focus. A whole new gameplan is now at work, with many of these players now positioning not as car makers but as lifestyle companies. As the hard-sell dealership gives way to loyalty apps and brand experience centres, payback on the huge investments involved may take time. Companies will need plenty of money and patience on hand.
In this issue:
- Software just the start of a UX-defined vehicle, says Nio
- New vehicle makers find the going getting tougher
- Has dynamic wireless charging solved EV range anxiety?
- Inside Volvo Truck’s ZEV technology strategy
- Xpeng’s R&D philosophy emphasises customer needs and agility
- What are the new security threats of the connected car era?
- New modular platform promises to shake up commercial EVs
- What are the game-changers in ZF’s tech roadmap?
- Do smart EVs spell the end of the traditional supply chain?
- Metaverse impact hinges on security
- Hyperloops could unlock a new paradigm for urban living
- Micro EVs meet the real mobility needs of city drivers
- What’s the final destination for urban mobility?
- Will driverless EVs mean fewer cars on the road?
- Telematics and IoT can guide the CV electrification journey
