Fleets should learn how to implement ‘demand prediction’ in new car2go white paper

09 November 2017 Daimler car sharing subsidiary car2go has released a new white paper showing the five conditions which are crucial for the management of autonomous fleets in the future. Unveiled prior to the Web Summit technology conference being held in Lisbon, the white paper is part of the company’s preparations for the future of autonomous, fully electric vehicles offering ride sharing services in cities around the world. Manufacturers believe this may be the future of vehicle ownership, as drivers look towards the benefits of these services over physical ownership. According to car2go, there are five conditions essential for the optimal management of an autonomous car sharing fleet:

• Professional fleet management
• Demand prediction
• Fleet intelligence
• Intelligent charging
• The best customer experience

The white paper breaks each of these points down and explores what companies need to do to ensure they can work successfully with the future market. ′No other mobility sector can prepare itself so comprehensively for the future of autonomous driving as the free floating car sharing sector,’ says Olivier Reppert, CEO of the car2go Group. “Whoever wants to optimally manage fleets must manage the cars on the same high level as the software –using learning algorithms, big data and apps. We are already doing this today.’  car2go currently manages a combined fleet of 14,000 vehicles in 26 cities. To do so, the company collects valuable information not only for basic fleet management tasks, but also for intelligent algorithms for the strategic positioning of vehicles in accordance with demand. An important requirement for this is the so-called ′demand prediction’ – which calculates in advance when and where a car will soon be needed.  The white paper stipulates that ′demand prediction is an important part of the management of autonomous fleets’. ′The key component, however, will be so-called fleet intelligence.’ This decides which vehicle will satisfy which demand. This management algorithm is hugely complex as the utilisation of each individual vehicle affects all other vehicles in the fleet.  ′The use of autonomous vehicles will be a further quantum leap for car sharing, as was the change from station-based car sharing to the free floating approach,’ adds Reppert. ′We are looking forward to this future and are ready to go with it.’ In June, Reppert suggested that with concerns about high emissions levels in cities, the future of the new ridesharing form of mobility is electric and providers would need to work together in order to secure the sector. He also believes cities need to work with them to ensure charging infrastructure keeps up, and matches the most ideal locations. Ridesharing providers are the ideal partners for city authorities, many of whom are pushing hard to reduce levels of pollution, including NOx from diesel cars, as well as in reducing high levels of congestion. Photograph courtesy of car2go