Mobility trends in 2023

In the mobility sector as a whole, technological innovations, digitization and global changes in general will continue providing the impetus for new products and new trends in 2023. Which developments will steer mobility into the future in 2023 and what does this year have in store for us? Here are the most important mobility trends, which you will also be able to find at IAA MOBILITY 2023 in Munich.

The trend, that less and less households are owning a second car will become even more prevalent in 2023, due to the Corona pandemic and the changes it brought in terms of everyday working life.  According to a study by the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA), 28.3 percent of German households still owned two or more cars in 2020. In comparison to 2009, this represents a decrease of 17.8 percent. Due to higher costs for heating and energy, as well as inflation, many households will be able to manage with just one vehicle in future. In 2023, more people than ever will be interested in alternatives such as car sharing, e-bikes and public transport in order to become more independent from their car.

In summer, more and more urban residents are doing without a car or local transport on their way to work. This trend was already visible in 2022 and is proceeding at an increasing pace this year, as many city dwellers use their own cars almost only in winter. It is thus safe to assume car subscription services will become even more popular in 2023. Both car-sharing providers and car manufacturers are becoming increasingly involved in this market, as driving a car is becoming more and more expensive. In economically uncertain times, a less long-term commitment also appears to be an attractive argument for many.

Demand for electric bikes has risen dramatically over the last three years. It was so high that e-bikes in demand had similar delivery times as demanded car models. The boom in e-cargo bikes started somewhat delayed. For city dwellers, these e-bikes with a huge cargo space in the front or rear of the bicycle provide a serious alternative to cars or the cumbersome transport of purchases on public transport. They can however be rather expensive, therefore sharing services are increasingly available for this type of mobility in major cities such as Berlin and Munich. In some cities, e-cargo bikes can already be rented in the same way as cars - via smartphone app. The e-cargo bikes are becoming a real car alternative in crowded cities and in areas with a high shortage of parking spaces because you can get through anywhere and find parking spots everywhere. Unlike cars, there are no parking fees for e-bikes. That's why e-bikes are also increasingly being used by delivery services.

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are massively expanding their offers, which can be used via interface in the car infotainment system while driving. This makes it increasingly easy to be productive while driving and thus to be able to work while driving. Being on the road somewhere is no longer an obstacle to missing an important call or even a meeting call. In collaboration with Microsoft, Lynk & Co is working flat out on an app that allows people to attend Teams meetings on the go. Tesla and Zoom are working on a similar software solution, too. The trend is unstoppable: car personalization will continue to increase in 2023. Time spent in traffic jams with your vehicle will no longer be wasted but can be fully integrated into your daily work routine if you intend to.

The car key will continue to develop in 2023 and will increasingly be replaced by a digital variant. That should be good news for many people! For as long as keys have been around, many products and entire industries have revolved around their loss - from keychains to locksmiths to Apple AirTags. You can't lose a digital car key because it is not only on the smartphone, but also in the cloud - and stored there securely, just like the rest of your digital data. Even if you lose your phone, reinstalling the key from the cloud is no big deal.