Bosch Enters the Carpooling Business - Tire Review Magazine

Bosch Enters the Carpooling Business

Bosch has announced its acquisition of the ride-sharing startup Splitting Fares Inc. (SPLT). The app allows companies, universities and municipal authorities to offer ridesharing services to their workforces.

Bosch has announced its acquisition of the ride-sharing startup Splitting Fares Inc. (SPLT). The U.S. start-up, based in Detroit, operates a platform that allows companies, universities and municipal authorities to offer ridesharing services to their workforces.

The B2B approach is designed especially for commuters. SPLT uses an app to connect people who share the same route to their place of work or study. An algorithm finds the best composition for the ride-share and computes the fastest route. The aim is to reduce congestion and make the daily commute more relaxed. SPLT was founded in 2015 and some 140,000 users in the United States, Mexico, and Germany currently use the service. It has been agreed that the purchase price will not be disclosed.

“With SPLT, we are extending our portfolio in the growth area of mobility services,” said Markus Heyn, member of the Bosch board of management. “Increasingly, smartphones are becoming the most important means of travel.”

Connecting road users and modes of transportation is making flexible, multimodal mobility possible: in a matter of seconds, everyone can decide how they want to travel, and make the necessary bookings.

“With this sustainable and affordable mobility service, we want to fundamentally change the way people get from A to B,” said Anya Babbitt, the co-founder and CEO of SPLT.

Increasing Numbers of Commuters

Ridesharing, in which digital services and apps are used to form carpools and to organize vehicle sharing and taxis, is a growth market in the connected mobility sector. By 2020, the number of people worldwide using rideshares is expected to rise 60 percent to 685 million (source: Statista). Up to now, the services available have usually directly targeted people who happen to be traveling in the same direction, and who want to book a ride on the spur of the moment. They have not focused so much on companies and commuters.

Commuting Without Stress

Companies, universities, or municipal authorities enable access to the SPLT platform for their employees, who then download the SPLT app, register and look for or offer a rideshare. Bookings can be made on the spur of the moment or in advance. Arrival times are displayed in real time, and costs are shared among colleagues and charged online. One advantage of this is that rides are shared by colleagues, which means users never have to get in the car with complete strangers. As a side benefit, such rideshares encourage communication and offer a chance to network. The result is a journey to work and back without stress, at low cost, and with little environmental impact. Companies can also play a role in reducing traffic volume. In the years ahead, the number of SPLT users is expected to rise many times over – with new regions also being included. Within Bosch itself, associates in Mexico are already using the app, and it is planned to extend its use to the entire company.

“We believe we have a good chance of global growth together with Bosch,” Babbitt said.

SPLT will remain an independent entity within the Bosch Group and be run as a wholly owned subsidiary.

You May Also Like

Yokohama Rubber reveals 2024 motorsports activity plan

Yokohama said participation in motorsports activities is crucial to its efforts to strengthen the Advan and GeoLandar brands.

Yokohama-Nitrocross

Yokohama Rubber revealed its motorsports activity plan for 2024. The company said participation in motorsports activities is crucial to its efforts to strengthen the Advan and GeoLandar brands and is again participating in a wide variety of motorsports events around the globe, from top-category to grassroots events.

Yokohama Rubber will again supply its Advan tires to many teams participating in motorsports events, such as Japan’s Super GT, the Nürburgring 24-Hour Race and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Yokohama Rubber’s GeoLandar tires will be supplied to teams participating in off-road races in North America and Asia, including the Baja 1000, King of the Hammers, the Mint 400 and the Asia Cross Country Rally.

TIA’s Advanced Farm Tire Service training to take place in June

The training class for technicians in the agricultural and farm tire industries is set to take place June 11-14.

TIA_training-
Maxxis-sponsored athletes make podium, overall top 10 at Mint 400

Maxxis athletes Michael McFayden, Ethan Ebert and Trey Gibbs had podium finishes at the Mint 400 on Maxxis RAZR XT tires.

2024-mint400-maxxis
Sun Auto Tire reveals winner of Ford Bronco Sport giveaway

Lowell Anderson entered the giveaway at his local Sun Auto Tire & Service store while receiving a routine oil change.

Sun-Auto-Bronco-giveaway
Nokian Tyres holds bracket challenge on worst roads in North America

In 2023, the tiremaker’s audience voted Quebec as the province or state with the worst road conditions on the continent.

Pothole-Protection-from-Nokian-Tyres

Other Posts

Gallery: 2024 Big O Tires conference and convention

Highlights from this year’s Big O Tires conference and convention, featuring a general session, trade show and breakout sessions.

Gary-Skidmore
Bridgestone’s Firestone Liberia rubber farm receives ISCC Plus recognition

According to Bridgestone, its Liberia facility earned the ISCC Plus certification for its efforts in reducing environmental impacts.

Firestone_Liberia
Ascenso Tires adds new OEM sales manager

Douglas Duesing has more than ten years of experience working in agriculture, construction and mining OEMs.

Ascenso-Douglas-Duesing-1400
Nexen Tire Motorsports drivers earn top placements at King of the Hammers

Nexen Tire Motorsports partnered with drivers across a variety of racing series both on- and off-road, including King of the Hammers.

Nexen-KOH