GOOGLE MAPS |
Almost two decades after its introduction, it’s evident just how groundbreaking Google Maps was. It revolutionized how people got directions, and how people interacted with the world around them. Now, with phones and augmented reality, it’s not only possible to see reviews and insights about a place while being physically there, but is already a part of our everyday lives.
Behavioral Trend: Blurred Line (on/off) / Urban NomadsSource: smh.com.au / Trendwatcher: Andres Rodriguez |
transportation
UBER |
One of the most popular pieces of advice in Latin America is “DO NOT TAKE TAXIS ON THE STREET”, because you may get robbed or kidnapped or worse. While you still need to move around the city every day, and the current options were so insecure and disorganized, the opportunity was clear: to establish a centralized, better organized, and transparent option for your transportation. Getting rides instantly means less stress, and while you are still hopping onto the car of a stranger, at least you get the sensation of having an extra layer of information and security in your favor. A very convenient urban means of transport, it has become a mobile extension of our office. Why waste your time behind a wheel when you call an Uber? That way, you can enjoy the trip while doing your stuff, like reading, working or talking over the phone.
Behavioral Trend: Carpe Diem / Distrust Culture / Facilitate My Life / Social Omnipresence / Stressed Society / The Power of the Crowd / Urban NomadsSource: uber.com / Trendwatcher: Andrea Lobo |
READY SET VAN |
The #Vanlife trend has emerged among adventurous influencers, who decide to abandon traditional housing for modified vans, and lead their lives on the road. One of the leading van customization companies is Ready Set Van, which previously designed a party bus for Burning Man festival. Ready Set Van installs fully-functional, Tesla battery-powered fixtures like sinks, toilets and even kitchenware inside industrial-grade vans, making sure that “vanlifers” have everything they need to live as nomads.
Behavioral Trend: Urban NomadsSource: readysetvan.com / Trendwatcher: Andrea Lobo |
SELF-DRIVING BICYCLE |
Google Netherlands’ 2016 April’s Fools Day prank poked fun at the self-driving technology developed at Waymo, Google’s sister company, this time applied to the bicycle, the ubiquitous form of transportation in the Netherlands. However, this lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek campaign ended up predicting a real self-driving bicycle designed by researchers in China in 2019. The bike can move on its own using the highly advanced Tianjic chip, opening the door to new ways of automating our transport and getting to our destinations with the least amount of effort possible.
Behavioral Trend: Urban NomadsSource: analyticsindiamag.com (article) / Trendwatcher: Andrea Lobo |
LIME |
Lime provides shareable forms of transportation – micromobility, as they call it, for all. They let users take rides on all kinds of shareable vehicles, from electric bikes and scooters to electric mopeds, in select cities around the world. Lime liberates urban nomads to go where they need to go, entirely on their own.
Behavioral Trend: Urban NomadsSource: li.me / Trendwatcher: Andres Rodriguez |
