New sharing economy business models

The ongoing transformation of the automotive market is a manifestation of the evolution in our thinking about what a product is. Products are increasingly offered as a service. Instead of buying a car, people can use a car-sharing service.

The new mobility model is a shift from one in which a car with a combustion engine and manual transmission is driven by its owner, to one in which an autonomous electric vehicle drives passengers on demand while the passengers can engage in work or leisure activities. This model requires cooperation and communication between people and between people and vehicles (machines).

The sharing economy is also about resource efficiency, particularly with regard to raw materials and labour. Shared products and services are available on demand. Resource sharing is not an act of goodwill by a market participant but a business proposal involving a product offered as a transport service.