Source: Flickr user Paul Van Barrle
The transportation industry is in the middle of a huge transformation. Whether traveling cross country, across the city, or through a neighborhood, our expectations on “getting around” are shifting dramatically thanks to a few innovative companies leading the way.
As we've already discussed, understanding (and ultimately changing) transportation in a way that more accurately reflects users’ behavior patterns is an issue close to our heart. We believe (and strongly advocate) that everything can benefit from taking a step back and rethinking a system to better meet user needs.
Customer experience has often been top of mind for the transportation industry — but some companies harness its power better than others. Those companies are pushing boundaries and changing the way we think about user experience in transportation.
We’re excited to see (or, in some cases, not see) this transportation evolution playing out. We’ve compiled five companies we feel are truly transforming the way we look at and use transportation services.
1. Uber
We couldn’t have a list about companies changing the transportation industry without Uber. The company has single-handedly transformed the taxi/private car industry (though not without some industry backfire). The service gets rid of so many of the pain points users have with cabs: no more hailing a car on the street or calling ahead, no more anonymous drivers, and most importantly no more awkward payment or tipping interaction while trying to get out of the car. In its development, Uber considered the end-to-end user experience of taxi rides and innovated at every point along the way. Not only has the company stripped most of the user annoyances, but Uber also continues to innovate, offering people choices on style of car and price point — and packaging it all in a sleek, easy-to-use mobile app.
Many other companies have sprung up following Uber’s initial disruption of the car industry. Flywheel uses a similar smartphone interface but has integrated within already established taxi systems (Uber now does that as well), Sidecar connects people for ridesharing, and Lyft is a mix between Uber and Sidecar that gives riders a taxi experience in someone else’s car — complete with plush pink mustaches.
And long term, Uber is planning to innovate beyond taxis into urban logistics. Uber is piloting a new service, UberRUSH, which is designed to “move stuff, rather than people.” Anticipating and preparing for growth in this market may be the most innovative thing Uber is doing.
2. Google Maps
Can you think of the last time you went somewhere without looking it up on Google Maps beforehand? Or while you were on the way? Or once you got there to see what else was around? The way many of us think about a map and its use has changed because of Google. We no longer buy or even print out maps but expect them at our fingertips at all times — updated in real-time with traffic conditions and able to provide alternate routes when the original doesn’t work out. Google has been predicting (and often shaping) user needs in transportation for years and only continues to innovate. With the recent purchase of startup Waze, the company has integrated real-time, crowdsourced traffic reports into maps. Google Maps has also integrated Uber into their directions - when finding the best route (walking, public transit, etc.) you’ll now see an Uber option - bringing together two companies trying to transform how we get around. Google also recently announced a new feature that allows people to “time travel” by seeing an area’s recent history on Street View. While this function has not fully been released yet, speculation about how this could affect city planning, and ultimately how people think about the spaces they’re traveling through, is quite interesting.
3. Virgin
Source: Flickr user creativeholly
Out of all the subsets within the transportation industry, the airline business left the most room for changes. A few years ago, Virgin — and especially its US-based arm Virgin America — took on that challenge. The company’s branding is spot on: purple lights, bold marketing campaigns and catchy inflight safety raps. But, none of that would matter if the experience itself wasn’t exceptional. Over the years, air travelers have had a lot taken away, including free bag check-ins, in-flight food options and leg space. Virgin’s experience was designed to give some of these perks back and ease the pain of losing others. The company has taken much of the everyday modernity that we’ve grown accustomed to and put it in the air. Flying Virgin means on-demand drinks and food at the touch of a few buttons; an in-flight entertainment system with live TV, music, movies, games and even shopping; and comfortable leather seats. Virgin has provided an end-to-end luxury experience at competitive price.
4. Tesla
The idea of an electric car isn’t a new one. In fact, the first fully electric carriage was completed in the 1830s. But, with more than 170 years between that and the launch of Tesla’s first car in 2008, it’s clear that just the capability of doing something doesn’t create consumer interest. Tesla has taken the idea of an electric car and made it accessible and luxurious. The company is a great example of our Any Experience philosophy, taking the tenets of user experience and applying them both within and outside of software. In an interview, Tesla’s UI Manager Brennan Bobblet said Tesla’s view of UX is “the car and the software working harmoniously together to create a unique experience … We take the small, little things you do all of the time and make them a bit more of a pleasure.”
With this, Tesla has taken a “Silicon Valley approach,” doing usability testing and constantly innovating to make the product meet customer needs in all areas — inside and out. They were also one of the first companies to insert a touchscreen into a vehicle’s dashboard, unveiling a technology previously seen only in prototype form.
Tesla has inspired more mainstream companies like GM and Nissan to develop their own sustainable and electric vehicles, essentially creating a new category of car. Nissan has even been spotted surveying Tesla owners.
5. Citi Bike
Source: Flickr user Dmitry Gukov
We debated whether Citi Bike belonged on this list, as the company has gotten some harsh critiques (and we’ve had our own experiences with bike share in various cities, both good and bad). But we appreciate what launching bike sharing in New York City has done to spark needed conversation about what works and what doesn’t in urban bike sharing. And at the end of the day, Citi Bike has made it easy and convenient to cycle in New York, a previously notoriously unfriendly city to bikes.
The New York City Department of Transportation did extensive research in an attempt to create the best system possible for the population using Citi Bike. The department held 159 public meetings over two years to elicit feedback and developed an interactive website that allowed residents to request and/or veto station locations. The website received over 10,000 station suggestions and nearly 55,000 “supports” for them. Citi Bike also created the program with lower-income residents in mind, something many other US bike sharing programs haven’t been able to do. The program worked hand-in-hand with the New York City Housing Authority to make bikes accessible both physically and financially.
Creating a feasible, easy way for people to change their daily transportation, as Citi Bike is striving to do, is certainly disruptive. But it also proves that disruption can’t work in a vacuum. Making the bikes available is one thing. Making a whole cycling infrastructure is another. With that, we acknowledge that Citi Bike has some kinks to work out, and we look forward to following its progress.
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These are just a few examples of companies changing the way we think about getting around. We love watching what they’re doing, but we’re also not oblivious to their problems. Changing an industry is not always an easy route. Each of these companies has had its struggles — and they will likely go through more rough patches as they continue to innovate at the industry’s edges. But without a few ruffled feathers, society wouldn’t evolve. At EchoUser, we like looking at the good, the bad, and the ugly when thinking about experiences — considering what has and hasn’t worked, and why, to try to make the world better with each project we take on.
It’s exciting to see so many companies pushing the status quo and designing systems and products to meet the needs of a changing society. Who else would you add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments or tweet us @EchoUser with a suggestion.