GAFA in the Transportation Sector

The transport sector is in a phase of unprecedented change. Starting with an analysis of the challenges (GHGs, pollution, dependence on cars and oil) and opportunities, this article sheds as much light as possible on the GAFAs (Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon) and other digital players in the transport sector.

To this end, a historical approach will be used to understand the evolution of the interplay of players in this sector. Beyond automakers, a broad ecosystem of players will be considered to study their digital transformation in relation to the evolution of the products and services developed and the constraints that are revealed.

More specifically, we'll be looking at the operating principles of the GAFAs, to understand how they are applied in the fields of transportation, mapping, mobility services and robotization. The mechanisms of digital platforms will be analyzed to understand how they work and their advantages in the transport sector. Finally, the analysis will focus on the special relationship they have developed with users, customers and the Multitude. This overview will take place in the United States, Europe and finally China, with their equivalents, the BATX (Baidu, Alibaba, Teicent and Xiaomi). A second generation of players such as Uber or Didi, its Chinese equivalent, will also be analyzed, as will robotization players Waymo and Baidu.

In the end, the main lessons to be learned concern the digital transformation of all stakeholders, public and private, to take advantage of the potential offered by digital technology while limiting the risks.