Finland surprises with wide range of intelligent vehicle and mobility solutions – first MaaS solution testing starts in the UK
Finland is one of the world’s forerunner countries in intelligent vehicle and mobility solutions. Finland has created the world’s first Mobility as a Service (MaaS) ecosystem for traffic, which will now be trialed also in the UK starting in June 2017.
Finland is known as an internationally unique information-based testing area for intelligent transportation systems. The Aurora test ecosystem in Finnish Lapland enables testing of various digital transport infrastructure (DTI) and connected cars initiatives, as well as autonomous driving and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in which all major transport needs are met over one interface.
The concept of Mobility as a Service is currently live and in use in Helsinki, Finland and is also being tested by travelers in the West Midlands in the UK. The pioneering service, the Whim application by the Finnish operator MaaS Global, will start its trial phase in UK in June.
“Our purpose is to offer a real alternative to owning a private car. The Whim application allows people to fulfill all their travel needs with just one application, combining all the modes of transportation into one. With one monthly fee, users can use public transport, taxis or hire a car”, says Kaj Pyyhtiä, the Co-Founder and CXO of MaaS Global.
Also the global players in the vehicle and mobility field have noticed Finland’s expertise and see Finland as an attractive investment target. In a recent funding round, MaaS Global raised over 10 million euros. The round was led by Toyota and its insurance partner Aioi Nissay Dowa.
Unique smart solutions for vehicles
Finland’s solid track record in telecommunications innovations and the high-tech startup scene have introduced several new technologies and digital services to the global market.
“Finnish companies deliver innovative and secure solutions in connectivity, user experience and service design providing the needed edge for tomorrow’s mobility. Our strong connectivity and mobile background has also inspired Finnish startups to create new solutions that can be utilized in vehicles and enrich the auto industry”, says Mikko Koskue, Intelligent Vehicle and Mobility Solutions Program Director at the Finnish Trade Organisation Finpro.
One example is Koru that specializes in wearables and smart car keys for the automotive industry. Koru has developed the smallest, fastest and most flexible platform for user interface creation that enables a smartphone-like experience in-car with fraction of the cost.
“We empower brands by providing a customized and connected digital experience platform for cars from smart keys all the way to digital dashboards”, tells Christian Lindholm, CEO of Koru.
Valmet Automotive is a good example of the Finnish engineering capabilities and strong manufacturing knowhow. Awarded best partner for Mercedes-Benz Cars in 2016 by Daimler, Valmet Automotive proves how continuous effort and aspiration yields result. With over 4,000 employees globally, Valmet Automotive offers services from concept engineering to complete manufacturing of vehicles and components.
“Our core competence is planning the manufacturing of customer vehicles and contributing to the intelligent mobility of tomorrow. We support in finding the manufacturing solutions flexibly and cost-efficiently innovating together for our customer," says Matti Räsänen, Sales and Marketing VP at Valmet Automotive.
We welcome you to hear more about Finland’s interesting offering on 28th June at the Finnish Residence in London. Frost & Sullivan’s annual Intelligent Mobility Event organized together with Finpro, offers an opportunity to meet with leading intelligent mobility solution providers from Finland. Altogether 14 Finnish companies are present at the event: Helsinki Business Hub, Siili Solutions, Symbio, Valmet Automotive, Tuup, Futurice, Link Motion, MaaS Global, Tuxera, Nokia, ADA Drive, Foreca, Koru and Flowenum.
Additional information:
Mikko Koskue
Program Director, Intelligent Vehicle and Mobility Solutions, Finpro
Mob: +358 50 355 6656
mikko.koskue@finpro.fi
Finpro helps Finnish SMEs go international, encourages foreign direct investment in Finland and promotes travel to Finland. Finpro is a public organization consisting of Export Finland, Visit Finland and Invest in Finland. Our 240 professionals work in 37 Trade Centers in 31 countries and 6 offices in Finland. Finpro is part of the Team Finland network. Finpro – Growth for Finland http://www.finpro.fi
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