Volkswagen Group has added a standalone mobility organisation to its umbrella, named MOIA. MOIA is expected to be focusing only on ride hailing and carpooling services, with pilot trials set to be initiated from 2017.
With the rise of Uber and other ride hailing apps globally, the automobile industry is all set for a major change. Volkswagen recently bought stake in Gett, one of the largest ride hailing providers, globally. The platform would also allow for Volkswagen cars to market themselves well among the fleet owners, allowing for bigger business opportunities for the Europe’s largest carmaker. To start with, the pilot trials will be taking place in Hamburg, as the city has partnered for three years to officiate the tests. The findings of the tests will be analysed to implement the business model in other global cities.
Speaking at the launch of the services in London, Thomas Sedran, Head of Group Strategy at Volkswagen AG commented, “As customers’ needs change, so does the automobile business model. In the world’s major urban areas, there is an ever-stronger trend away from owning a vehicle towards shared mobility as well as mobility on demand. That is why the Volkswagen Group anchored new mobility solutions and digital services as core elements in its future program ‘TOGETHER – Strategy 2025’ in order to secure a position as a globally leading provider in this field, too”
A 50 member team is working on the development of the app. The company is also working on a carpooling platform to gain market share in the ever growing mobility world. After the dieselgate, it is important for the Group to re-establish itself as a sustainable and environment friendly brand. Recently, the VW e-Golf was launched in the United States and Volkswagen has already showcased its all electric vehicle, the I.D. which is expected to be its global platform for forthcoming electric cars. MOIA will be a great platform for the Group to showcase its products at the same time. We are not sure whether it will make it to India soon, but we really hope it does.