Here Technologies’ mobility unit has launched an all-in-one smartphone application that aims to democratize the transportation market through the use of ‘social mobility’.
Derived from the phrase ‘social mobility’, Here Mobility’s SoMo is a first-of-its-kind mobility app that gives users the freedom to choose how to move from point A to B by introducing three innovative concepts:
- Social Ride Sharing – SoMo gives users the freedom of choice to share their ride with friends, family, co-workers, other parents or any other social circle, so users can choose who they ride with;
- Gatherings – SoMo introduces a new mobility concept called Gatherings, whereby events are defined by location, time, attendees and intent. Users can connect with friends and social circles based on common activities and ride together to a Gathering of any size, which can be a one-time event, such as a concert, a wedding, a night out with friends, or a recurring event, like afterschool soccer practice or the daily commute to work. SoMo allows event organizers and participants to find the best way to get to a Gathering, using the Mobility Marketplace or by sharing rides with other participants;
- The Here Mobility Marketplace – an open and competitive smart mobility platform that aggregates all mobility services and transportation options in real-time such as taxi, private hire, public transport, bikeshare and other modes.
SoMo provides a single-app experience, allowing users to book and plan a ride alone or with people in their social circles. The app makes it easy to discover Gatherings happening nearby and find a friend who is driving there. The growth of ridesharing underscores the shift from a traditional transportation ecosystem to one rooted in the sharing economy. In a recent McKinsey survey, 50% of ride sharers said social experience is a key motivator for sharing rides. SoMo also functions as a classic navigation app offering turn-by-turn guidance and real-time traffic updates. The app plugs in rider locations to determine the most efficient pick-up and drop-off routes based on full-route waypoints, time and distance. Focusing on trust and safety, SoMo sends automatic updates about driver location and ETA (estimated time of arrival) so that drivers can navigate safely without texting while driving.
“SoMo is the bridge to today’s sharing economy,” explained Liad Itzhak, SVP and head of Here Mobility. “Consumers should have freedom of choice in how and with whom they travel. That’s why SoMo brings people together based on common social interests and mobility demand, whether they’re traveling to a holiday party, basketball practice or a Beyoncé concert. Just as platforms like LinkedIn, Airbnb and Facebook have leveraged social connectivity, SoMo taps into the power of social networks to reimagine the future of transportation. Standing at the forefront of the social mobility revolution, SoMo enables users to plan, share and ride in a way that’s simple and hassle-free. Increasing the average car occupancy will make traffic jams disappear and will have an enormous impact on our planet, reducing pollution and making it much greener.”
