Car sharing in 2021 is no longer a new invention, but rather part of the social shift toward a sustainable world. It is the breaking down of old values of owning a car as a status symbol. Thus, car sharing (CS) has its origins in 1997, when the cooperatives ATG AutoTeilet Genossenschaft and ShareCom merged to form the swiss Mobility Genossenschaft, bringing together the first thoughts on car sharing. The intention was to make it possible for all people to use a car, especially those who cannot bear the high costs of purchasing and maintaining one.
Now, a lot has happened in the project for over 20 years, with the last 10 years in particular bringing a great surge in development. Digitization and the progress of technologies have managed to generate a wide reach and market the sharing model as a worthwhile business model. Worthwhile for companies and users alike, who can now reserve and use a car close to them with little money and pay for it for a leisure trip, a trip to the supermarket or a commute to work only as long as it is in use.
The automotive industry, meanwhile, is delighted about the growing middle class, which nowadays can afford its own car without major restrictions and also wants to. Cars mean the greatest possible mobility, freedom for people. Although this is a basic human need, awareness of sustainability and climate protection has increased. As a result, the automotive industry is currently under unprecedented pressure to transform its technologies to electric drives and to decide on its own market position in a future-oriented manner, to be a mobility service provider or a pure vehicle manufacturer.
At the present time, CS is largely offered by companies that mediate supply and demand and thus connect users with automobiles. BMW and Daimler, which have been mobility service providers and CS suppliers for several years, can be named as an exception here. However, since several people now share a car, it is reasonable to assume that the sales of automotive suppliers will decline - provided that CS continues to gain acceptance and experiences exponential growth in the following years.
What exactly CS is and if, respectively which effects the automotive industry will experience due to CS, will be examined in more detail in this thesis.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Car Sharing definition
3 The Car Sharing movement
3.1 The technology progress
3.2 Sustainability
3.3 Affects of Corona Pandemic and prospect
4 Impact of Car Sharing on the automotive sector
4.1 Opportunities
4.2 Challenges
5 Conclusion
Objectives and Core Topics
This paper examines the rise of car sharing (CS) as a transformative mobility model and its multifaceted impact on the traditional automotive industry. The core research objective is to analyze how car sharing influences vehicle ownership trends, market demand, and the strategic positioning of manufacturers in the face of sustainability shifts and technological advancements.
- Evolution of the car sharing movement and its business model
- Sustainability and the shift in consumer attitudes toward vehicle ownership
- Impact of the Corona pandemic on shared mobility adoption
- Opportunities for the automotive industry in New Mobility Services (NMS)
- Challenges posed by political regulations and autonomous driving technology
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The technology progress
While it is not essential for sharing cars to develop advanced technologies that are independent of the car, these lay the foundation for a CS enterprise model. CS is only attractive to the large mass of people if it is easy to use, many users can access it simultaneously, and the costs incurred by its use are made transparent. Furthermore, the free-floating model in particular depends on showing users where available, functioning, and fueled cars are located. Also, access to the car must be granted to the user without first having to collect the key from the previous user. All of these are prerequisites for allowing the business model to develop and for CS to be integrated into society.
Until the beginning of the 21st century, there were no smartphones and no location-independent availability of the Internet, but now most people have their own smartphone with access to the Internet and software solutions for all areas of life. Smartphones are indispensable and for CS a particularly important tool for using the service. Thus, CS providers care about developing optimal digital solutions to experience a secure, transparent and convenient experience. Future-oriented technologies, such as autonomous driving, are currently still in development and will raise CS to a new level. Due to the limited scope of this work, it is not possible to go into this extensively. What can be said, however, is that with the completion of these technologies, cars can be used as efficiently as possible, since the cars no longer need a human driver and can be used continuously. From this a better sustainability, as well as possibility for the standardization of the CS can be concluded.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the societal shift toward sustainable mobility and the development of car sharing as a business model.
2 Car Sharing definition: Explains the concept of car sharing, detailing its various operational forms and its role as a complement to public transportation.
3 The Car Sharing movement: Explores the drivers of the movement, focusing on technological progress, sustainability, and the recent impact of the global pandemic.
4 Impact of Car Sharing on the automotive sector: Analyzes the consequences for vehicle sales and dealerships, including potential business opportunities and strategic challenges.
5 Conclusion: Summarizes the necessity for the automotive industry to adapt to new mobility demands and highlights future transformations driven by autonomous technology.
Keywords
Car Sharing, Automotive Industry, Sustainability, Shared Mobility, Digitalization, New Mobility Services, Autonomous Driving, Vehicle Ownership, Mobility Providers, Urbanization, Fleet Management, Consumer Behavior, Electric Mobility, Pandemic Impact, Sharing Economy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this assignment?
The work primarily focuses on the rise of car sharing as a business model and its direct consequences for the traditional automotive sector.
What are the main thematic areas discussed?
Key themes include technological foundations of sharing services, the shift toward sustainability, the influence of the Corona pandemic, and the future role of autonomous vehicles.
What is the primary research objective of this paper?
The objective is to investigate how car sharing affects the automotive industry's market dynamics, specifically regarding vehicle sales, manufacturer strategy, and consumer adoption.
Which methodology is utilized in this study?
The paper follows a descriptive and analytical approach, utilizing existing case studies, industry reports, and academic research to evaluate the impact of mobility shifts.
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section covers the definition of car sharing, the enabling technologies behind it, environmental and sustainability aspects, as well as the opportunities and challenges for automotive stakeholders.
Which keywords characterize this study?
Key terms include Car Sharing, Automotive Industry, Sustainability, New Mobility Services (NMS), and Autonomous Driving.
How has the Corona pandemic impacted the car sharing sector according to the author?
The pandemic has created short-term uncertainty and reduced trust due to infection risks, yet the economic appeal of sharing models might provide long-term resilience.
What role does autonomous driving play in the future of car sharing?
The author identifies autonomous driving as a "next level" development that will drastically increase the efficiency of shared fleets and potentially lead to a decrease in global private vehicle demand.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Jan Bausewein (Autor:in), 2021, Car Sharing and its Impact on the Automotive Sector, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1127801
