Mobility mix via app: Digitalisation for connected mobility
Easy to use, multimodal routes, price comparisons: mobility apps are making everyday life easier for more and more people. A Bitkom survey shows what matters to users.
E-scooters in city traffic. Source: Unsplash.
Apps don't replace cars, but they open doors: to the nearest underground station, to an e-scooter, to the right ticket. For many people in Germany, mobility apps have long been part of everyday life – and they use several of them.
According to a recent Bitkom survey, 76 per cent of smartphone users use such applications. Whether for route planning, booking transport or sharing services. The trend is towards diversity: while 29 per cent use only one app, 36 per cent have two, 20 per cent have three and 10 per cent even have four or more mobility apps on their smartphones.
Usability and integration as key factors
What distinguishes good mobility apps? Quite clearly: user-friendliness. 99 per cent of respondents expect simple, intuitive operation. Networking is almost as important: around 79 per cent want as many providers and modes of transport as possible to be available in a single app – including the option of completing an entire route with just one booking process.
Dr Bernhard Rohleder, CEO of Bitkom, emphasises: ‘So-called multimodal mobility apps are becoming increasingly important and make connecting between different modes of transport more convenient.’
More than just booking tickets
According to users, the mobility apps of the future need to be able to do much more than just navigation and ticket purchasing:
• 79 per cent want to be able to compare prices
• 78 per cent value the ability to compare CO₂ emissions
• 74 per cent appreciate a wide range of payment options
• 69 per cent would like to see bonus programmes integrated
• 67 per cent welcome assistance functions, e.g. through AI
This makes mobility apps the pioneers of connected, sustainable and user-oriented mobility in urban and rural areas. Anyone who wants to shape smart mobility should take the above-mentioned user needs seriously.
At #SCCON26, we will show which digital solutions are already revolutionising the mobility sector today and how the mobility of tomorrow will improve the lives of citizens.