Major technology advance will transform worldwide uptake of car-sharing

Vulog, the global leader in shared mobility technology, is releasing a major upgrade of its newest platform, AiMA (Artificial Intelligence Mobility Applied), that makes a significantly enhanced suite of features available to car-sharing schemes around the world. The platform’s new capabilities will dramatically increase the user appeal of shared mobility services by enabling an operator, with a single fleet, to offer multiple usage possibilities.

Vulog’s AiMA – powering 25 car share schemes in cities on five continents – can now support:

the flexibility of a free-floating scheme, in which users can access vehicles instantly anywhere within a large geofenced area; and

the convenience of scheduled bookings, where vehicles can be reserved for a specific time at a location selected by the user.

With this new technology release, Vulog’s AiMA platform unlocks significant new opportunities for vehicle monetization and offers unprecedented flexibility for users of car-sharing, scooter sharing and other shared mobility services.

Operators will no longer have to position themselves either as a short-term or long-term mobility option, as Vulog now provides the capability to serve multiple use cases with one fleet of vehicles, one management tool and one mobile app for the consumer. This unique and transformative advance will not only enhance the operations of Vulog’s existing customers, but will also remove the last hurdle for companies waiting for the perfect time to enter the fast-growing shared mobility market.

“Our latest AiMA platform upgrade truly alters the car sharing paradigm for users and providers,” says Grégory Ducongé, CEO of Vulog. “Users can now trust that a free-floating car parked in front of their homes or office will be there when they need it simply by reserving it in advance. This dependability will help shift the mindset of millions of users that they can now give up their private car for good, and rely on their favourite mobility service to meet virtually all of their personal transportation needs.”

The first deployment of this multi-usage feature will take place in Madrid, Spain with Wible, a car-sharing service operated as a joint venture between Kia Motors Europe and Repsol. Launched in August 2018, Wible operates 500 Kia Niro plug-in hybrid electric cars and is one of Europe’s most successful shared mobility schemes, boasting over 70,000 users.

“We want people to be able to use our cars for any need they have,” says Javier Martinez Rios, CEO of Wible. “The new game-changing capabilities introduced by Vulog’s AiMA platform ensures that anyone who wants access to a car at some point in the future can get it by reserving ahead of time one of our instant access vehicles circulating in the streets of Madrid. They also benefit us directly by improving the profitability of the operation through an increased utilization rate of our fleet. Everyone wins.”

The AiMA platform’s enhanced set of features are fuelled by Vulog’s data insight and artificial intelligence proficiency, developed over 12 years and through the implementation of 25 customer projects that have powered millions of journeys. Other new features recently added include improved predictive demand management, specific electric fleet management enhancements, and the integration of autonomous shared mobility capabilities.