Finland has created the world’s first Mobility as a Service (MaaS) ecosystem for traffic, which will now be trialled also in the UK starting this month.
The Aurora test ecosystem in Finnish Lapland enables testing of various digital transport infrastructure (DTI) and connected cars initiatives, as well as autonomous driving and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in which all major transport needs are met over one interface.
The concept of Mobility as a Service is currently live and in use in Helsinki, Finland and is also being tested by travelers in the West Midlands in the UK. The pioneering service, the Whim application by the Finnish operator MaaS Global, will start its trial phase in UK in June.
“Our purpose is to offer a real alternative to owning a private car. The Whim application allows people to fulfill all their travel needs with just one application, combining all the modes of transportation into one. With one monthly fee, users can use public transport, taxis or hire a car”, says Kaj Pyyhtiä, the co-founder and CXO of MaaS Global.
Also the global players in the vehicle and mobility field have noticed Finland’s expertise and see Finland as an attractive investment target. In a recent funding round, MaaS Global raised over 10 million euros. The round was led by Toyota and its insurance partner Aioi Nissay Dowa.
Smart solutions for vehicles
Finland’s solid track record in telecommunications innovations and the high-tech startup scene have introduced several new technologies and digital services to the global market.
“Finnish companies deliver innovative and secure solutions in connectivity, user experience and service design providing the needed edge for tomorrow’s mobility. Our strong connectivity and mobile background has also inspired Finnish startups to create new solutions that can be utilised in vehicles and enrich the auto industry”, says Mikko Koskue, Intelligent Vehicle and Mobility Solutions program director at the Finnish Trade Organisation Finpro.
One example is Koru that specialises in wearables and smart car keys for the automotive industry. Koru has developed the smallest, fastest and most flexible platform for user interface creation that enables a smartphone-like experience in-car with fraction of the cost.
“We empower brands by providing a customised and connected digital experience platform for cars from smart keys all the way to digital dashboards”, tells Christian Lindholm, CEO of Koru.
Valmet Automotive is a good example of the Finnish engineering capabilities and strong manufacturing know how. Awarded best partner for Mercedes-Benz Cars in 2016 by Daimler, Valmet Automotive proves how continuous effort and aspiration yields result. With over 4,000 employees globally, Valmet Automotive offers services from concept engineering to complete manufacturing of vehicles and components.
“Our core competence is planning the manufacturing of customer vehicles and contributing to the intelligent mobility of tomorrow. We support in finding the manufacturing solutions flexibly and cost-efficiently innovating together for our customer,” says Matti Räsänen, Sales and Marketing VP at Valmet Automotive.
We welcome you to hear more about Finland’s interesting offering on 28th June at the Finnish Residence in London. Frost & Sullivan’s annual Intelligent Mobility Event organised together with Finpro, offers an opportunity to meet with leading intelligent mobility solution providers from Finland.
Altogether 14 Finnish companies are present at the event: Helsinki Business Hub, Siili Solutions, Symbio, Valmet Automotive, Tuup, Futurice, Link Motion, MaaS Global, Tuxera, Nokia, ADA Drive, Foreca, Koru and Flowenum.
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