Autonomously operating vehicles that plan and manage their own bookings or maintenance - what sounds like a dream of the future to many is set to become reality in Mittweida.
With the "Mobility 4All - Rethinking mobility in Mittweida" project, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences is researching sustainable, emission-free mobility based on blockchain technology for rural areas. The long-term focus is on the automated and demand-driven provision of shared electric vehicles, e.g. cars, bicycles or scooters, for private individuals and companies. Regional companies or municipal enterprises in particular can gain access to sharing services for the first time and gradually reduce their own vehicle fleets. These emission-free vehicles can be conveniently rented via a decentralized platform using an app.
Blockchain technology is intended to improve the acceptance and costs of such sharing services. The digital identity of the vehicles plays a special role. All relevant processes - from registration and use to maintenance - are to be automatically triggered and reliably executed with the help of smart contracts anchored in blockchain technology. The vehicle will also be able to actively report and predict downtimes. This concept has numerous advantages. In addition to environmental friendliness, better vehicle utilization also plays a major role. Both companies and private individuals benefit from the use of the vehicles. They could be used by students at weekends, by families as a second car, for day trips, but it is also conceivable that they could be used by senior citizens who would be dependent on fixed bus times for shopping.
The "Mobility 4All" project of the Mittweida blockchain showcase region is currently in the implementation phase as part of the "WIR! - Change through innovation in the region" program of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The city of Mittweida, the university and Volksbank Mittweida are working together as alliance partners. After the funding period of two years, a mobility cooperative is to be founded in Mittweida in order to establish the concept sustainably in the region.
We are delighted to have been involved with Werkbank32 right from the start and to be able to support the new opportunities for our region.
