Does new mobility also mean more quality time, Kalle Greven?
We have more and more options for our daily commute between work, school, daycare and home. From our own car to a ride service at the push of a button, to a rental bike or electric scooter for the last mile. Some of these options come from the Deutsche Bahn. It’s considered a pioneer when it comes to Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS).
In the second episode of my podcast, Deep Dive Mobility, I was pleased to welcome and talk to Kalle Greven, Head of DB New Mobility. In his role, Kalle represents Deutsche Bahn in its collaboration with companies in DB New Mobility’s portfolio, such as CleverShuttle, Call a Bike and ioki. All these options show customers various ways of getting from A to B without (owning) a car.
The car is becoming a rational product
“With our offers, we’re trying to change habits that have been in place for decades and which see the car as a symbol of freedom,” says Kalle. To some extent, he says, the problem will outgrow itself because, among the younger generation, the image of the car is changing — from an emotional to a rational product. Based on this attitude toward life, we need to design and offer new mobility services, says Kalle. “For me, mobility means a chance for more quality time. We should use it in such a way that we will allow us to actively shape that time and experience something in the process.” Gamification is an important aspect of this, he says — even if it’s currently primarily for the younger target group.
Kalle and I also talked about the mammoth ‘Mobility inside’ project, the goal of which is to create an app for all types of mobility offered throughout Germany. This is intended to make seamless travel possible across city and state borders. The first field tests have been running since autumn. DB is participating as one of eleven companies and “with enthusiasm”, as Kalle says. The project is a great opportunity to bring together the fractured German mobility landscape through a digital offering, Kalle adds.
Listen to the conversation with Kalle now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other podcast streaming services
In our conversation, Kalle provided exciting insights on identifying and scaling innovative mobility services and showed that Deutsche Bahn is looking at much more than just travel by train. You can hear about the challenges DB is dealing with in the current episode of Deep Dive Mobility on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.
