NOVEMBER 20189breakdowns etc., further improving the urban mobility scenario considerably. Whilst accelerated research is examining these areas, the sharing economy has emerged as one of the most rel-evant solutions available today to address urban mobil-ity challenges. Through resource optimization, sharing economy service providers are able to control the num-ber of cars on the road. Better fleet utilization and route planning further enable them to avoid dead mileage and futile burning of fuel. Great strides have been made in this space by lead-ing companies such as Avis India; providing hired cars, whether self-driven or chauffeur-driven, and leasing services have ensured that this alternative economy can thrive. The technology-driven fleet is equipped with GPS and Wi-Fi which ensures that time and mileage remain constantly monitored, further giving a fillip to the sus-tainability advantage. Additionally, tech enhancements such as live inventory models and centralized booking platforms make it possible to match demand and supply, thereby mitigating booking denial rates and enhancing customer satisfaction. Further, as the Avis eRA app (electronic rental agree-ment) for chauffeurs makes the entire ride-booking pro-cess completely automated and paperless. It adds a thrust to the sustainable narrative. After the end of each ride, the driver feeds expenses and uploads images of parking, toll and others which are pushed to the fleet manage-ment system called Carpro for invoice generation. The automation of the entire ride booking, starting and com-pletion process eliminates any possibility of human error and also obviates the use of paper completely. Key Concerns in Urban Mobility ContextWomen's safety is another key concern in the urban mobility context which many leading players are still struggling to counter. Recently, there have been many reports from around the world that highlight the potential dangers today, raise further concerns about the need for stringent security on all cab-hailing, ride-sharing or car rental services. To combat this problem, Avis India, for instance, has ensured that all its cars are equipped with assistance buttons. Avis Secure Desk for female travelers also instills a sense of security amongst women at the start and end of the journey.In terms of the leasing model, service providers of-fer cars to large organizations and incorporate several tech enhancements that make the process completely automated and streamlined. Further, they offer repair and maintenance contracts in which the lessee receives regular updates on the servicing schedule of the car. Of-ten, the leasing company also gets the car serviced on behalf of its clients. This is imperative as better serviced cars reduce air pollution and toxic emissions significant-ly. Breakdown assistance and other value-added services via digital platforms further ensure customer stickiness. While all of these tech innovations mean that cus-tomers remain completely satisfied leading to better sales and business, their socio-environmental impact is also considerable. This technology-led disruption gradu-ally results in decreased propensity amongst citizens to purchase their own vehicles which reduces the number of cars on the roads, leads to better asset utilization and ensures an overall more sustainable urban mobility land-scape in the country. High-grade mobility is the key enabler for socio-eco-nomic development in any country. In India, there is a specifically urgent need for private players to leverage their expertise and technological capabilities to offer solutions that aren't only reliable, safe and easy-to-use but also functional and cost-optimized. Problems such as road congestion, traffic, polluted air and an unreliable mobility landscape cannot be wished away. They have to be dealt with pro-actively and competently so that Indi-an citizens want to really depend on these solutions and government and policy-making bodies are eager to lend their support to them. In India, there is a specifically urgent need for private players to leverage their expertise and technological capabilities to offer solutions that aren't only reliable, safe and easy-to-use but also functional and cost-optimizedSunil Gupta
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