Technology is changing our cities and lifestyles, which means the way we travel does too. Ride-hailing and -sharing apps have altered how we get a taxi, while others are using special apps and maps to jump onto public transport. If we're to believe recent reports then the idea of owning a car will soon be an odd concept, as we'll all be zipping around in some form of driverless vehicle whether it's a 'car', train or otherwise.
While there is still some time until this will be a reality, it means changes for travel and particularly fleet programmes.
Pascal Struyve, global travel fleet and meeting services director at Ingersoll Rand is not currently thinking about the idea of driverless cars in his programme but has personal views on how policies may be adapted. "Fleet programmes are quite rigid but I think that could change dramatically," he said at ACTE/CAPA London. "Instead of one programme there could be sub-ones for individuals. Some may like alternative solutions such as the money to choose mobility or a menu of choice [such as bike, car, public transport]."
Struyve says the introduction of driverless vehicles would eliminate some conversations around safety, for example, in the future any tired travellers coming off a long-haul flight may not have to drive. But there are other questions that will be raised around tax, benefit, number of vehicles and the footprint before travel and fleet buyers can start to take these new options seriously.
Stuart Donnelly, international sales director at FleetLogistics, agrees that the shift may put more of a focus on end-to-end. "Consumer apps [such as Citymapper] are already showing the different routes and prices available to anyone in a city, so business travellers are starting to choose what they do. We could see car rentals for the hour, day or month," he explained.
While it may take some time to become mainstream, there are already lots of developments in this area, especially as governments in cities such as London and Paris are starting to pass legislation on petrol cars and emission zones. Lots of new cars already have some level of automation or 'connectedness', and manufacturers will have to consider branding in this new world; perhaps requiring a need to reinvent themselves. Car rental firms now have electric cars available to hire and are buying into car-sharing technology.
Donnelly believes there is a convergence between travel and fleet that is coming in this mobility-driven world. As in most emerging areas it is Asia already leading the way, but look out for developments in trucks too as that's normally ahead of what's about to happen in ground transportation.