Gett partnership continues VW transition

Volkswagen took its first major step in its transition from traditional car maker to provider of integrated mobility by launching its strategic partnership with ride hailing provider Gett in Berlin.

The manufacturer announced a $300m dollar investment in the Gett last week, with chairman Matthias Müller stressing the importance of the strategic partnership.

He said, ‘The ride hailing market doesn’t just promise high growth rates for Volkswagen, it also has a big strategic relevance. Ride hailing will be at the centre of our new ‘mobility on-demand’ business, which we are building up as the second pillar alongside the classic automobile business. Our investment in Gett gives us instant access to a service which people all over the world can benefit from.’

Gett technology contains algorithms that can accurately predict consumers’ need for on-demand transportation. Based on that technology, Gett and VW will develop tailor-made solutions specific to individual cities. First services in Germany are expected next year.

‘The Volkswagen Group and Gett is a great strategic partnership, giving us access to 100 million Volkswagen automobile customers,’ said Gett founder and CEO Shahar Waiser. ‘We already provide the quickest, safest, most reliable on-demand mobility solution. Together with Volkswagen, we can further add to our range of products and services.’

At Volkswagen, the joint growth strategy is to be driven by a special team led by Ole Harms, head of new business and mobility.

He said, ‘We aim to establish ourselves side by side with Gett as the clear European leader in the ride hailing market. The new strategic partnership marks the point where the Volkswagen Group starts taking an active part in shaping the future of mobility. This is not just about linking up individual services, but about creating an integrated mobility ecosystem centred on people and the environment.’

 

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