Many countries across the globe are experimenting to integrate modern, technological superior model of transportations in urban mobility, to make our cities advanced and green. Ride sharing, a mobility model which is already a hit in Europe is slowly picking its pace in India. Various technologies like Keyless start/ stop is further pushing such initiatives in the country. We got in touch with Anand Ayyadurai, CEO and Co-founder, VOGO Automotive Pvt. Ltd, a dominant player in rental two-wheeler industry and an upcoming eMAAS player to understand how technologies like keyless start and stop are further pushing the shared mobility in India.
Q.Tell us about Vogo and its business operations
Vogo is a tech-enabled personal mobility solution provider that offers convenient, affordable and reliable two-wheeler to daily commuters. Launched in 2016 by alumni of IITs and IIMs – Anand Ayyadurai (CEO), Padmanabhan Balakrishnan (COO) and Sanchit Mittal (CTO), Vogo strives to create a world-class platform for its riders and enable them to rent a two-wheeler anytime, anywhere, without any human intervention.
Our cutting-edge mobile app has been providing last-mile accessibility to 3 million riders, thanks to our 20,000-strong fleet ranging across 500+ docking stations in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mysore. Our scooters have covered over 13 crore kilometers so far, clocking an average of 45000 rides per day.
Business Model
● The largest docked 2-wheeler rental platform in India. Customers can use the mobile app to locate the nearest Vogo station, pick up the scooter and drop it back at any Vogo station.
● We have two offerings; Vogo Now (daily rental) and Vogo Keep (7,14, 30, 60-day subscriptions).
Q.What are the benefits of keyless access to rental scooters?
The integration of IoT has helped in developing a human-machine interface that allows for minimum human intervention to start and stop the scooter with the help of Bluetooth. The main objective of introducing keyless scooters is to minimise contact. With the pandemic still at large, consumers as well as the mobility players are focusing majorly on safety. Our sanitised, keyless scooters enable the riders to start their trip just by scanning the QR code—no contact, no hassle.
Q.How technology is making rental vehicle businesses viable?
Interconnectivity using IOT creates a network of every device equipped with smart solutions for an ecosystem of wireless connections across a facility to work in unison. The first wave of digitisation brought revolutionary applications and technologies to mobility like one-click ride/ cab booking. Lately, innovators are working on the next wave—leveraging big data by integrating IOT to define max speed, locations allowed to travel, etc.
The ride experience can be further optimised by real time fuel status alerts, pothole detection, geo-fencing alerts and over-speeding alerts on the app. Finally, commuters will be able to end the ride virtually using the app. GPS and IoT sensors installed in scooters will not only make the commute seamless and contactless for the consumer but also enable the operator to constantly monitor the health of vehicle parts, detect ras and send alerts to the control room in case of unwanted movement, theft or towing of vehicles.
Q.Future of the rental two-wheeler market in India
With the shifting customer preferences for extended safety, affordability and convenience, more consumers are pivoting to personal rentals. Our target audience majorly comprises people who prioritise accessibility and sustainability over the physical aspect of a vehicle. It is a welcome change to observe that ownership is starting to take a backseat in the automotive sector compared to convenience and sustainability.
On one hand, they can treat the rented vehicle like their own, on the other, they don’t have to worry about vehicle maintenance or value depreciation. Along with this, we have also noticed an industry shift among rental providers as they move to subscription models, ensuring minimum contact and maximum usage.
We have taken many steps such as multi step sanitisation processes for scooters and home delivery options, so that consumers do not need to step out to access their services, or even live sanitisation checks by on-ground staff, to assure customers of the delivery of a fully sanitised vehicle.
In the coming days, Artificial intelligence and Machine learning will alert a user based on current location if there is any available scooter nearby and choose a perfect scooter for his needs. This move will be assisted by private and public tie-ups as scooter-sharing gets integrated further into the mobility ecosystem.
Q.Future of urban mobility in India
How cities move their people is a prominent factor that determines their quality of life and preserves the essence of the urban environment. Many cities across the world and in India, are already leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data analytics to tap into the behavioural patterns of their citizens and harness this intel to power last mile connectivity. Ride hailing and vehicle-rental players have played a significant role in bridging the gap between city dwellers and public transport by introducing shared mobility into the equation.
Here are the key industry and technology trends I believe, will pave the way for this integration:
● Electric vehicles: Thanks to the enhanced lithium-ion batteries, improved performance and affordable prices, the e-bike movement is steadily taking over the world. Our EV fleet is already active in Bangalore and we have tied up with some of the top delivery brands in the city to explore greener ways for people to access the essentials. We are also in the process of developing an e-two-wheeler exclusive to our brand
● Decentralised Energy Systems: If the cost of renewable energy goes down, intermittent distributed generation will make up a notable share of the world’s energy distribution. This will enable cheaper and cleaner energy distribution, allowing EV owners to recharge their vehicles from their local solar or electric charging points.
● Shared Mobility: Shared mobility is not solely restricted to ride-hailing services; vehicle rental apps too play a part in this shift as they enable large client pools to travel around the city using a limited number of rented vehicles.
● Micromobility: Small-scale, short-term transportation alternatives people can opt for to move around the city to avoid congestion. Though the pandemic is holding back the micro mobility businesses at the moment, they are expected to rebound soon as the demand for single-use, sharable vehicles will go up post-lockdown.
● Smart cities: Smart cities with ample shared and micro mobility will ensure that people are connected to smart and sustainable transportation services 24*7.
● AR and VR: AR makes it possible for users to get instant and accurate information by scanning their phones or wearable devices and extends the possibilities of frictionless mobility interactions like booking tickets, vehicle purchase, etc. VR can help the automotive and city planning experts perfect their research and prototypes with the help of interactive design visualisations and life-like simulations.
Q.Changing global trends in urban transport
● The shift to EVs: More and more countries are taking the initiative to convert their automobile fleets to EVs. India plans to explore new-gen technologies in the EV front along with Germany. We are also planning to explore the aluminium air battery technology to help slash the demand for Chinese lithium ion batteries. With the FAME II subsidy in action, we also have the potential to emerge as the global leader in EV manufacturing, in the near future.
● Rent over Buy: In order to increase the dependency on public transport and shared mobility, many
developed countries are imposing a high premium on owning and using private vehicles within city centers. This would become a norm in the developing countries too shortly. India already has some of the most congested cities in the world—Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Pune—it’s high time we explored more sustainable options to limit traffic.
● Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS): MaaS can be defined as a system or platform where all transportation is viewed as a single unit. It would incorporate all the current practices of paying for bus/train tickets using a phone or hailing a ride using a rental app into a centralised system.
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