Problem Statement

Arguably the most common internet-age phrase – “Data is life”. Yet even the most useful dataset could amount to nothing in a faulty system. This is the case for mobility data. From data collection, all the way through data processing, vending, and monetization, the industry experiences leaks, underutilization, and complete waste in data management. While the industry grows mainly due to an ever-growing user base, it suffers a UX issue…that has a solution.

To put it into perspective, the mobility industry’s customer base is the same as the global population. Sectors in this industry are projected to grow exceptionally over time. Even with a consistently growing user base, the multi-trillion-dollar issue in the mobility sector is evident. This is dispersed but primarily caused by;

Gapped Mobility Data Management

Patronage of the mobility industry is mostly from humans and motor vehicles, but the industry has struggled to connect with its two customers. In the past, this could be blamed on the lack of adequate technology, however, motor Vehicles and human accessories have evolved impressively in the past 15 years and with the introduction of IoT devices, have become a responsive tool. Regardless, the disjoint persists.

The number of IoT devices is projected to double to over 32 billion by 2030 and the global population and motor vehicle ownership statistics are expected to follow the same trajectory. However, this is only positive if a huge gap doesn’t exist in the mobility data management sector. Current solutions are unable to sequestrate data from motor vehicles and humans efficiently. Consequently, collected data fall short of what is required to produce useful inferences. The main culprit is the abstraction of users, accessories, and mobility tools.

Mobility infrastructures have failed to advance due to this disjoint and the absence of real-time data sources that reflect the consistent changes in key parameters and the short interval between these changes. It also relegates the influence of complementary factors such as changes in climate, economy, and public health.

The result of this inefficiency includes erroneous ETAs (Estimated Time of Arrival) for freightage firms, traffic congestion in major cities, poor UX for ride-hailing services, and slow advancement in mobility technologies and urban planning.

Geo-location And Mobility Data ‘Theft’

The market for geo-location and mobility data is worth over 15 Billion US dollars. Operating system developers and internet firms trade users’ mobility data to partner firms and external customers for a tangible amount. Questions regularly arise regarding data-sourcing practices and users’ privacy. A 2022 survey revealed that only 28% of Canadians understand the types of data their vehicles produce and how the manufacturers access them. The long-running lawsuits between Uber drivers and the ride-hailing firm shed light on how data generated by motorists are utilized by big players in the mobility industry and the privacy challenges faced by motor vehicle users.

While data-driven approaches are plausible, data providers in these scenarios are mostly unaware of the value extracted from their daily movements and almost none get duly rewarded for this contribution. The market for geolocation data alone is worth over $12 Billion. Data from IoT devices in vehicles is valued even more, bringing the mobility data market to a valuation of over $50 Billion. These figures grow alongside the general industry. It is only fair that contributors of these data are rewarded accordingly.

Additionally, as with loyalty programs, motorists are more likely to share their data if a reward structure is attached to the process. Current situations express the need for more transparent, private, and incentivized data acquisition practices.

Obscure Market For Mobility Data

Mobility data is a gold mine, millions of users in this sector generate billions of data daily that go unutilized due to the obscure structure of the mobility data market. The lack of an avenue to stream mobility data for a reward impedes the willingness of data providers to share the data they generate regularly. Even with the knowledge of the relevance of the data they generate regularly, motorists and commuters struggle to monetize their data. The mobility data market is currently a clandestine business with a high participation barrier for data providers.

Spurious Urban Planning And Motor Vehicle Modifications

Without a clear understanding of the dynamics of everyday commute and motor vehicle use, urban planners and vehicle manufacturers are unable to apply efficient contemporary and futuristic measures in their processes. As a result, new developments fall short of what people need and sometimes, are completely out of the line. Users are faced with the task of adjusting to new tools instead of using tools that are adjusted to suit them.