In the vicinity of Stanford University in Silicon Valley not only labs of the traditional automobile industry have been established, but also new players have been created. The most well‐known example is Google, which is engaged in autonomous mobility. Google has enticed away numerous people, who worked on autonomous vehicles at Stanford or Carnegie Mellon University, for example Chris Urmson [44]. The next internet giant, which could become active on the automobile market is Apple. There have been rumors to this effect for some time. For these internet giants the development to autonomous driving, or the digitalization of vehicles is an ideal starting point. With their competency in information and communication technology, above all the ability to master complex problems with algorithms, and to utilize new technologies, such as machine learning in any given area, the internet giants are opening up the automobile market from the software side. One cannot say in the year 2016 whether these strategies will ultimately be successful, but they will definitely accelerate the digitalization process and contribute to the structural change in the automobile industry.
39.5.3 New Locations
Silicon Valley has been distinguishing itself for the last few years as the center for the future in the automobile and mobility industry. When talking to insiders of Silicon Valley one has been hearing now for several years “The valley loves mobility”. Numerous companies and entrepreneurs are convinced that the increasing digitalization of vehicles, together with mobility platforms on the internet, such as Uber, offers the hard‐ and software industry in Silicon Valley the chance to penetrate the vehicle and mobility market. The unique mixture of innovation power, entrepreneurship and currently almost unlimited financial means in Silicon Valley, presents a good foundation for penetrating new markets. The simple motto of these new suppliers is “The more software, the more Silicon Valley”. When talking to politicians in Detroit, Munich and Stuttgart, one indeed gets the impression that these traditional locations for the automobile industry are in direct competition with Silicon Valley. For the automobile industry, on the other hand, there are no alternatives to a certain degree to the establishment of at least research and development centers on the west coast. Whether, in future, hundreds or thousands of software developers will program software for automated and autonomous driving for traditional automobile manufacturers in Silicon Valley cannot be predicted at the moment. It is, however, at least a realistic option.
A central aspect in the development of new future‐oriented locations for the automobile industry is legislation. Automated and, in any case, autonomous driving requires changes in existing laws. A real competition among legislators can be observed. In the USA, the states California, Nevada, Michigan and Florida have taken the initiative [45]. In Germany, a draft legal bill for autonomous driving was tabled in summer 2016 [46].
39.5.4 From Car Produce to Mobility Provider
For a few years now the mobility landscape has been changing. Car‐sharing for example, has been spread for example by Daimler’s Car2Go, BMW’s Drive‐Now, or Audi’s Unite [47] and also by vendors such as Mobility in Switzerland. Uber and Lyft, being so‐called mobility platforms, are very successful in attacking established taxi companies. Additionally, they are building large customer bases, which can be analyzed for the mobility requirements of these customers. Railway companies such as the German Federal Railway or the Swiss National Railway collect extensive data on the mobility requirements of their customers on their websites (bahnd.de and sbb.ch). Automobile manufacturers are beginning to get increasingly involved in this market. Daimler has consolidated its mobility platform in Moovel [48] and plans to buy up taxi companies across Europe [49]. Daimler already participates in Mytaxi. Moreover, there are cooperations with German Federal Railways [50]. General Motors holds interests in Lyft [51]. According to press reports, Uber is negotiating with Daimler as to the purchase of a large number of S class models, which are suitable for autonomous driving [52]. Railway companies are busy in the sense of strategic early recognition with the effects of autonomous driving. There are indications that mobility platforms will play the central role in reaching so‐called “Seamless mobility”, i. e. optimal connection of different means of transportation. Autonomous automobile mobility will be an important contribution to the “Transportation chain”. In view of this background, tests with the previously mentioned road‐trains or the so‐called “Last‐mile‐vehicles”, which are similar to the Google vehicles, must be seen as a contribution to future mobility. In this view, automobile manufacturers should rethink their position in the transportation chain. Examples from other sectors, such as retail trade or the travel industry show that the companies, or platforms, who have customer contacts and customer data will ultimately determine which vendors under which conditions will be used in future, and who are able to set up digital ecosystems. In any case, it is becoming apparent that the requirements of the young generation, the so‐called digital natives, will change the understanding of mobility.
39.6 Outlook: the First Steps on a Long Journey
Automated and autonomous vehicles are cyber physical systems, i. e. the mechanical components are enhanced by extensive information and communication technology. This means that in research and development, and also in the maintenance of the vehicles in future extensive competencies in information and communication technology will be required.
In view of this, the automobile industry and the entire mobility sector are facing a major upheaval. Software, whether it be in the car itself, or as a mobility platform, will become a, perhaps even the deciding, factor in competition. For the traditional manufacturers and component vendors, this represents a major challenge against this background of digital transformation.
The further development of vehicles primarily controlled by humans to automated and ultimately autonomous vehicles is unstoppable and offers numerous opportunities for economy and society. The inherent dangers must be extensively and openly discussed in political and social arenas.
At present, we still cannot predict how quickly or when autonomous vehicles will be available on the market, reach greater market penetration and start the disruptive process of change in the mobility sector. There are currently already automated vehicles on the market. The structure change has already started. Mobility vendors, which are unable to develop their core competencies will face great, perhaps existential problems. It seems clear today that stakeholders in the ecosystem “Mobility” will have to concern themselves with the digital transformation, in the sense of the Chinese philosopher Confucius, who said: “Every journey starts with the first step”.
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Further Reading
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© Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany 2018
Digital Marketplaces Unleashed Page 61
