The Mobility Problem
A primer on what Steel Mobility wants to solve.
Last updated
A primer on what Steel Mobility wants to solve.
Last updated
Mobility in India is broken. We have an overwhelming amount of issues related to the people who utilize (drivers or vehicle operators) and the infrastructure being utilized (road networks, parking, fuel) and the instruments of utilization (vehicles).
Accidents and Fatalities → According to a , road crashes are estimated to cost the Indian economy between 5 to 7 percent of GDP a year. Official government data show that each year road accidents in India kill about 150,000 people and injures another 450,000.
Traffic and Congestion → The capital city of Karnataka recorded a travel time of nearly 29 minutes and 10 seconds to drive a distance of 10 kilometers in the year 2022, according to the .
Air Quality → The pre-monsoon report on air quality released by IITR said that leading cause of air pollution during 2022-23 was automobiles, with number of registered vehicles having risen by 6.3% since 2022 -
Parking → . In 2011-12, a total of 41.56 lakh vehicles were registered. Cut to 10 years later: as per November 2021 data, the number of vehicles in Bengaluru has crossed one crore – 1,00,44,491. Resulting in parking availability or inefficient utilization of available spaces. -
Driver Crisis in Cabs and Trucks → Liquidity Crisis and Earnings Issues faced by Drivers against volatile fuel prices, cutthroat commissions, health and safety concerns etc. - and
But with the age of the internet and IoT enabled tech, the landscape is changing.
Vehicles are becoming connected, electrified and autonomous.
Vehicle services that are essential (fuel, maintenance, parking, insurance etc.) are becoming discoverable online.
Digital Public Infrastructure to connect services is a reality —> —> Aadhar, UPI (Unified Payment Interface), AA (Account Aggregator), etc.
Fleet Management System —> Fleet management is an administrative approach that allows companies to organize and coordinate work vehicles with the aim to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and provide compliance with government regulations. In the context of this article, it refers to a system that helps any vehicle operator (commercial or consumer) in end to end utilization of their vehicle(s).
These solutions can serve as the foundation for establishing digital rails for vehicle ownership and connected fleet management systems that address every need for equitable fulfillment of mobility. However, it’s crucial not to lose sight of the bigger picture: the everyday Indian citizen. Take for example the Indian auto driver: Earnings can be meager, expenses can go out of control due to rising fuel prices and spare parts availability and savings will vanish, leading to a liquidity crisis that drives them to make unfavorable decisions. This cascades into direct issues for the whole system. Which later auto drivers may try to solve through acquisition of high interest loans or a preference for high ticket trips leading to cancellation and non-availability of cabs for users, or skipping out on vehicle insurance / repairs etc.
Instead of functioning like a central nervous system utilized to enable coordination and control between organs and muscles in our body, the mobility ecosystem in India operates like a dangled network of string and cup phones that may or may not have a person at the end of the line.
Inadequate incentives or training for safe and efficient driving.
Parking availability that’s not known or does not cater to the customer specific use case. Ex: a restaurant that only has 2-wheeler parking.
Asset Light Aggregators who have no hand in fleet management for the cab operator leading to liquidity crisis.
Non existence of Emergency Response systems for vehicles involved in an accident or fire etc.
EV charging stations that are not actually “connected” to intended users over the internet, resulting in congestion or unfulfillment of need etc.
Check out an extension of this problem statement and our thesis .
