How are Technological Upgrades in Two-Wheelers Helping Automobile Companies Revive Their Businesses?

Highlights:

• Introduction
• Role of EV mobility in the growth of the industry
• Technological upgrades in the sector
• Factors influencing the growth of the domain

Two-wheelers are the most widely used automobiles across the world. The ease of mobility and comfort offered by them are the reasons why they form a major chunk of vehicular traffic anywhere across the globe. A downside is that two-wheelers contribute a significant proportion to vehicular carbon emissions. With governments, civil societies, and private companies striving hard to cut carbon emissions, the shift towards electric two-wheelers has increased.

How are electric bike technologies expanding the scope of the two-wheeler industry?

The growing demand for electric vehicles is a huge factor in the growth of the two-wheeler industry. Today, EV companies manufacture all types of electric two-wheelers including electric motorcycles, electric scooters, electric bikes, etc. Thus, technological advancements in electric bike models are expected, in turn, to positively impact the entire industry in general. One of the major advancements in electric bikes is related to battery systems. Lithium battery manufacturers are now focusing on developing battery systems that have a higher energy density and quicker charging times. Also, modern battery packs have longer lifespans, and the riding range is quite higher.

The second important technological advancement in the case of electric bikes is that of traction control. Traction control refers to an automated system that detects loss of traction between the car’s wheels. While traction control systems are common for cars, these systems are now gradually being integrated into electric motorcycles and scooters also. This technology changes the rear wheel's rotational speed to prevent vehicle drifting. Thus, traction control plays a crucial role in preventing accidents and gives stability to the vehicle.

How are connected technologies opening up new opportunities in the two-wheeler industry?

An important characteristic of the contemporary automobile manufacturing sector is the increasing integration of electronic systems in modern vehicles. These electronic systems are mainly associated with connected technologies which help the bike to establish a connection with surrounding infrastructure or other vehicles. For instance, like most cars and other four-wheelers, modern motorcycles, and scooters, too, are now embedded with GPS navigation systems. These bikes also come with appropriate consoles which help the rider to use these navigation systems seamlessly and ride the motorbike without any distraction.

Along with this, most bikes are equipped with Bluetooth technology which helps the user to connect to his/her smartphone to the bike and access different functionalities such as calling and texting through the bike’s digital dashboard. Some bikes also allow access to other functionalities such as music and multi-app notifications.

Telematics is another important technological upgrade in modern motorbikes. Telematics refers to the use of telecommunication technologies to transmit, receive, and store information. Using sensors and similar data capture devices, vehicle users can monitor and track the performance of their bike and report malfunctions in working, if any. Also, such systems help store the behavioral and driving patterns of the user. Furthermore, the user can also share this data with fellow users or the company so that, in case of an emergency, wireless communication can be established with authorized dealers.

How has the two-wheeler industry shaped up in the past few years?

The automobile manufacturing industry has been one of the worst-hit sectors in the COVID-19 pandemic. Firstly, the fall in demand for automobiles from consumers across the globe led to a massive slowdown in the industry; on the other hand, the lockdowns and social distancing norms led to the shutdown of various companies that were suppliers of raw materials to these automobile companies. As a result of this, there was a fall in the production of automobiles, thus creating supply-side problems.

In the post-pandemic period, private companies made conscious efforts to revive this sector by investing heavily in two-wheelers and their technologies. Various automobile companies even collaborated with information technology giants to incorporate advanced technologies in their vehicles. For instance, Qualcomm, a leading semiconductor company, announced the launch of QWM2290 and QWS2290 platforms. Both these platforms are the latest addition to Snapdragon’s Digital Chassis portfolio and are designed to offer infotainment services and connected cloud-based digital services to the user. Both these platforms are available for both ICE and electric two-wheeler engines and are expected to help the company expand its operations in this sector.

Other than investments in technologies, the EV mobility revolution has led to many electric vehicle manufacturers planning to launch electric scooters in the coming period. For example, Aponyx Electric Vehicles, a leading EV manufacturer, announced that it plans to launch high-speed electric bikes in India in the next few years.

To summarize, two-wheelers have gradually become the major segment in the automobile manufacturing industry. Just like most other segments, the two-wheeler industry, too, has undergone a huge transformation owing to the shift toward electric mobility. With technologies such as traction control, telematics, and IoT, the industry is expected to witness major growth in the coming period.

For a comprehensive study on the different growth drivers and investment opportunities in the industry, feel free to contact us.

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