New Zealand behind other Asia Pacific nations in new tech

New Zealand behind other Asia Pacific nations in embracing new technologies for getting around, Ford survey shows

Auckland, Thursday 12 May. From the invention of the wheel to the horse-drawn carriage, and from the Model T to the cars of today, human history has been shaped by innovations in transportation. Today, the transportation landscape of the past is colliding with radical technology innovations that may once again reshape how the world moves.

A survey conducted across the Asia Pacific region on behalf of Ford Motor Company has found that consumers are driving these changes as technology gives them new and easier ways to plan their journeys, whether using private or public transportation – or a combination of both.

Tech on the road

Regionally, one in four respondents to the survey said they use a ride-hailing app such as Uber more than once a week to get around. Respondents in China and India were the most likely to use ride-hailing apps (both 28%). On the other end of the spectrum were Australia and New Zealand, where respondents reported low ride-hailing app usage. Only five percent of Australians and three percent of New Zealanders said they regularly use apps to book a car.

Across the region, use of these apps is on the rise, with 32% of respondents reporting increased use over a year earlier. India (42%) and China (33%) were the main drivers of the upward trend. New Zealand reported the lowest increase in use, at seven percent, followed by Taiwan (9%) and Australia (12%).

Car-sharing programs are also becoming more popular, with one in five respondents in the region saying their participation in shared-car platforms had increased from a year earlier. Indian respondents were the most likely to report higher use of car sharing, at 33%, followed by China (19%) and Malaysia (16%). Nine percent of New Zealand respondents reported regular use of car-sharing programs.

“For many, especially in urban environments, car-sharing programs can offer significant benefits. We’re looking at different sharing models in the US, Europe and here in Asia Pacific to explore ways of improving what it’s like to take part in car sharing,” said Larsen. “In India, for example, we’re running a Ford Smart Mobility experiment to explore a model for easy vehicle sharing among close-knit groups like families or colleagues.”

How New Zealand fared

The survey results illustrated the dominance of the private car in New Zealand’s transportation landscape: 77% reported that they travel by private car regularly (more than once a week), tied with Thailand for the highest rate of all markets surveyed. Regular reported use of each mode of transportation broke down as follows:

• Private car: 77% of respondents

• Bus: 27%

• Subway, tram or train: 12%

• Car-sharing programs: 9%

• Taxi: 8%

• Electric scooter or motorbike: 3%

• Ride-hailing apps: 3%

• Motorcycle taxi: 2%

Survey respondents were also asked to report on their use of different modes of transportation compared to a year earlier. Increased use broke down as follows:

• Private car: 30% of respondents

• Bus: 18%

• Subway, tram or train: 10%

• Car-sharing programs: 9%

• Taxi: 9%

• Ride-hailing apps: 7%

• Electric scooter or motorbike: 5%

• Motorcycle taxi: 4%

Although respondents in New Zealand were the most likely in Asia Pacific to say they do not use ride-hailing apps (69% reported that they do not use a ride sharing app regularly), seven percent said they were now using such apps more than they did a year ago.

Of transport modes that respondents reported using less, buses took the largest hit, with 17% of respondents reporting less bus use than a year earlier. Buses were followed by taxis (15%), private cars (12%), and subways, trams and trains (12%).

New Zealanders reported some of the lowest rates in the region for multi-modal transportation. Only 17% said they use more than one form of transportation on a single journey every day. Sixty-eight percent of respondents said they either never or rarely use multi-modal transportation.

“Smartphones are being rapidly assimilated into our lives on the road, and Ford Smart Mobility is all about finding innovative ways to improve people’s lives by delivering smarter, more convenient access to mobility options,” said John Larsen, director, Ford Smart Mobility, Ford Asia Pacific.

“Mobility challenges are local in nature, and although no two places have the same suite of issues and opportunities, technology solutions can come from anywhere in the world,” said Larsen. “We’re looking at different transportation environments and trying different things, which might mean experimenting with a new car-sharing model, or developing a mobile platform where people can consider different transportation options and make the decision that’s best for them at any given time. It’s all about exploring every option.”

Ford innovations, for the transportation of tomorrow
Ford Smart Mobility is the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics. Ford is undertaking research and development across the technology and transportation landscape, including in-car connectivity, flexible ownership models and car-sharing programs, autonomous vehicles, and much more.

The motivations behind Ford Smart Mobility are four global megatrends that are reshaping the world: explosive population growth, an expanding middle class, air quality and public health concerns, and changing customer attitudes and priorities.

Finding solutions for this diverse but interconnected set of challenges requires a wide range of initiatives. As people rethink what it means to own a car in an increasingly crowded world, Ford is investigating car-sharing programs around the globe, including undertaking a research project in Bangalore, India.

For the Bangalore experiment, Ford partnered with ZoomCar to explore car-sharing in small communities like neighborhoods, families or workplaces. Data collected by specially equipped Ford EcoSports will be used to analyse driver behavior and information about how the vehicle was used. This will help to develop new models for vehicle scheduling and ownership management within car-sharing platforms.

Ford Smart Mobility encompasses innovations that are already available in Ford vehicles around the world – including Ford’s in-car connectivity system, SYNC, and semi-autonomous features such as Adaptive Cruise Control – as well as long-term research projects like Ford’s fully autonomous vehicle program. By the end of this year, Ford will have the largest fleet of autonomous vehicles of any auto manufacturer, with 30 self-driving vehicles being tested across different climates in the United States. Recent tests required Ford’s autonomous vehicles to operate in the dark without the use of headlights, and subjected them to snowy conditions in an industry first.

Ford also recently announced FordPass, a platform that reimagines the relationship between automaker and consumer. FordPass is designed to give users access to mobility services through the FordPass Marketplace, pay for such services with FordPay, interact with personal mobility assistants night or day with FordGuides, and accrue membership rewards. The FordPass platform also includes FordHubs, storefronts where consumers can learn about Ford’s latest mobility innovations.

Ford has been a leader in in-car connectivity since 2007, when SYNC first debuted in Ford vehicles. The first generation offered simple voice controls to make and receive phone calls, and to control features like music and the radio – all while helping drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. The latest generation, SYNC 3, delivers even more intuitive voice control, as well as integration with SYNC AppLink, which lets drivers use voice commands to control smartphone apps from the driver’s seat.

“Whether it’s making calls on the move, looking up real-time traffic information or booking a car on an app, technology is rapidly changing how we get around,” said Larsen. “At Ford, we’re looking into ways to integrate these innovations into our products, in order to make mobility more convenient and accessible for everyone.”

ENDS

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