At the recent Viva Technology event in Paris, France, Groupe Renault showcased the work it is undertaking in four strategic areas of innovation.
With a focus on electric mobility, connected mobility, autonomous mobility and new mobility services, Groupe Renault has, according to CEO Thierry Bolloré, “a responsibility to propose innovative solutions to address urban environment saturation and to stake out the smart city of the future”.
Bolloré added, “Alongside cities, startups, outstanding partners and public authorities, we see our leadership as a key part of a new history, the history of electric, connected, autonomous and shared mobility serving the public at large.”
Among the innovative projects showcased by the company is the newly inaugurated Paris-Saclay Autonomous Lab, designed to devise and test a comprehensive autonomous transportation system.
The company is also working on an urban delivery ecosystem involving logistics companies, local and authorities, cities, infrastructure and auto makers. As part of this project, Groupe La Poste is trialling Renault EZ-FLEX, an experimental compact, electric and connected vehicle designed for last-mile urban deliveries.
Groupe Renault also continues to explore new mobility solutions with EZ-POD, an exploratory autonomous vehicle that can be used to provide first- and last-mile mobility. A two-seat autonomous connected all-electric vehicle, it has a distinctive small footprint and high agility, for mobility within closed sites such as parking garages, hotels, shopping centers, campuses and in urban settings.
An increasing number of consumers – especially young people living in urban and suburban environments – are choosing to share rather than own cars. As a result, Groupe Renault has begun to operate new urban mobility services. For example, in Paris, Renault and ADA launched a carsharing service with a fleet of free-floating electric cars, Moov’in Paris by Renault, in 2018. Customers can use a dedicated app to book a Renault Zoe or a Twizy, particularly for very short trips. In Madrid, Renault and Spanish infrastructure operator Ferrovial Servicios provides the Zity service, which gives users access to a fleet of 650 Renault Zoe electric cars.
Groupe Renault also continues to provide state-of-the-art technology support for new mobility services, among them Yuso, a dispatch management solution for ride hailing vehicles, taxis and delivery companies that provides them with automated fleet and driver management.
At Viva Technology, Groupe Renault stressed its determination to develop new shared mobility services for the public via simple, attractive and customized applications.