The know-how behind Hyundai’s new car-sharing service in Los Angeles is offered by an organization that’s largely unknown regardless of its ubiquity.
Vulog introduced Tuesday throughout Automobility LA that Hyundai will use its know-how platform for a car-sharing pilot that may launch in Los Angeles on the finish of 2019 and can finally develop to 300 autos.
Vulog may need a low profile, however it’s hardly a startup. The French-based firm has been offering the underlying {hardware} and software program wanted for car-sharing companies since 2006. Vulog’s product, which incorporates instruments like fleet administration and a consumer-facing app, is utilized in car-sharing companies in additional than 30 cities globally. The corporate says its turnkey product can get a large-scale car-sharing service up and working in about three months.
At this time, its platform is utilized by Volkswagen’s WeShare, Kia Motor’s Wible and Groupe PSA’ Free2Move car-sharing service. Aimo, which is owned by Sumitomo Company, and a British Columbia Vehicle Affiliation firm known as Evo additionally makes use of the platform. And now, Hyundai.
Earlier this month, Hyundai Group launched MoceanLab, a mobility service enterprise based mostly in Los Angeles and the most recent effort by the automaker to diversify and modernize its core enterprise of manufacturing and promoting autos. MoceanLab will give attention to piloting autonomous ridesharing, shuttling, multimodal transportation, and private mobility in Los Angeles.
One of many efforts below MoceanLab is Mocean Carshare, the car-sharing service that may use Vulog’s know-how platform. The service is a part of a allow pilot program provided by the Los Angeles Division of Transportation and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The car-sharing service will use 20 Hyundai Ioniq plug-in hybrid electrical autos. Mocean Carshare will finally transition to a fleet of 300 absolutely electrical autos from Hyundai and Kia Motors.
MoceanLab, the umbrella mobility companies enterprise, will do greater than car-sharing. The Hyundai-owned firm is eyeing the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles as an occasion to supply quite a lot of companies to alleviate congestion, together with autonomous ridesharing and shuttling.
The creation of MoceanLab follows Hyundai’s joint venture with autonomous driving firm Aptiv and the launch of BotRide, an autonomous ride-hailing service in close by Irvine, California with Chinese language autonomous startup Pony.ai and Through.
In the meantime, Vulog has its personal ambitions. The corporate plans to double its footprint within the subsequent yr to hit 60 cities by the top of 2020.
