Where to play in the new mobility ecosystem?

Decisions made now are likely to determine the future for many companies, with some positioned for success, and others facing a fight for survival.

As incumbents, new entrants and start-ups compete for a share of the mobility market, each should consider where to play and how to win. Companies only have a small window of opportunity to get ahead and position themselves to shape the future ecosystem. This means being a fast mover, by securing beneficial partnerships, acquisition targets and structuring internal financial, business and operating models.

In this disruptive context, organisational leaders may well feel overwhelmed and uncertain of the steps they need to take. And while the shape of the future mobility ecosystem remains unclear, it is already in the process of transformation.

Through our extensive work with existing and new mobility players, we observe a consistent set of disruptive themes. The following framework is designed to help players develop appropriate strategies to overcome these challenges.

Decoding
disruption
Fighting for
the customer
Un-stranding
assets
Monetising
data
Searching
for scale

Decoding disruption

Understand the nature, timing and potential exposure of disruption.

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Fighting for the customer

Understand the future customer and decide your relationship with them.

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Un-stranding assets

Repurpose or pivot your current business model and assets.

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Monetision data

Use and handle the increasing volume of mobility data to drive effective decision making.

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Searching for scale

Scaling proven ideas and constructing an operating model for the new world.

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Collaborate or commiserate: Working together to build a new mobility ecosystem

We would like to offer one final observation: successful examples of collaboration in disrupted industries suggest that no single company or sector can drive change.

A unique combination of cross-sectoral capabilities is required to build enduring solutions to move people and goods. In short: collaboration is not an option, but a necessity. This may take the form of mergers, acquisitions, partnerships or strategic alliances, to address considerations such as speed to market, scalability, flexibility, risk appetite, long-term vision and Intellectual Property (Strategic alliances: a real alternative to M&A?, KPMG International, November 2017).

There are many examples of technology companies and OEMs collaborating (e.g. Daimler-Uber, Hyundai-Cisco, VW-Nvidia), combining deep automotive experience with new, disruptive technologies. Some collaborations may be long-term, others transitory to meet immediate capability gaps. But speed is imperative to stay ahead.

We are at the beginning of a truly transformational journey. The strength of consumer demand and regulatory pressure, and the rate of change of technological development for vehicle electrification and automation, are increasing exponentially. This disruption is likely to be significant and bring great opportunities and risks.

We believe we have offered some thought-provoking insight into the impact of disruption and the potential responses. The Mobility 2030 journey has begun, and one thing is for sure – there will be no going back.