French Mobility Platform Developer Targets Growth

Paris-based Vulog SA forecasts that its mobility service platform will be used to coordinate 25 million rides worldwide this year, up from 15 million in 2018.

The company also expects that the number of vehicles using its technology will more than double in coming years from about 10,000 today.

Much of the growth will come in North America, Alex Thibault, Vulog's general manager in North America, tells Automotive News.

Thibault says Vulog’s partners plan to launch car-sharing, short-term rentals and other mobility services in six U.S. cities this year. In Mexico, a rental car company is using Vulog’s technology to launch a short-term rental service that could eventually grow to a 1,300-car fleet.

Vulog’s software helps service providers track and manage vehicle fleets. This includes predicting usage patterns to ensure fleets have the right vehicle in the right place at the right time. Vulog receives a licensing fee every time a vehicle is rented.

The company also is developing new applications that will enable customers to offer blended services, such as short-term rentals or ride-hailing. Thibault says two carmakers plan to test the integrated platform later this year.

Vulog, which was launched in 2006, currently has 25 customers worldwide. The list includes the British Columbia Automobile Assn. (Evo), Kia (Wible), PSA (Free2Move) and Sumitomo (Aimo). Last month, Free2Move launched a short-term rental service in Washington, D.C., using a fleet of 600 Chevrolet cars and trucks.

In addition to cars, Vulog-enabled services recently debuted in the U.S. for mopeds and scooters. Partners include Segway and Dashee, a Miami startup that is deploying 120 mopeds around the city.