Tech advances mean we are moving beyond simple directions. Among US users of smartphone voice assistants, 

. Brands are recognising this desire for help on the road – Ford has become the first car manufacturer to integrate Amazon Alexa into its vehicles. Meanwhile, 

 has launched a service that enables its cars to inform drivers how long they’ll be waiting at the next light. And for the 

 who have forgotten where they parked their cars at least once, 

 has added a feature that will help users remember.

It goes beyond cars too – assistants are finding uses in all types of travel. After all, bigger cities means that transport systems can be overwhelming for people to deal with. It’s why navigation apps are so successful – Citymapper has raised over $40 million in 

By 2022, it’s estimated that over a quarter of all digital navigation will feature ‘an indoor leg or be for an entirely indoor journey’. 

 is making use of beacons to help people find their way around shopping centres, while the 

 app removes any confusion when catching a plane by highlighting the gate location and keeping users informed of delays. But with studies suggesting that the heavy use of GPS is 

, are we becoming too reliant on tech to get around?

Have you ever gotten lost at an airport? Or struggled to find a place to sit in a department store? People have become accustomed to using GPS when getting from A to B, and Pointr is now looking to provide the same kind of simplicity and convenience when navigating any indoor space.

Pointr: navigating the unknown indoors

Brick-and-mortar travel agents were among the first casualties of the internet age. But considering the stress involved in finding the right seat for the best price, the old ways of arranging a trip now seem simple. With its new app, Virgin America aims to make booking flights as easy as it once was.

Virgin America App: a travel agent in your pocket

Lack of funds and mishandling of public infrastructure have led to the privatisation of beaches in Lagos, Nigeria. As global warming and the climate crisis intensify, brands have an opportunity to tackle environmental issues and appeal to consumers who want to take breaks in nature.

Beaches in Lagos are being privatised

Electric vehicles are becoming a popular, greener alternative to gas-powered cars. But even with falling prices, tax incentives, and carmakers reaching entry-level buyers, barriers to mass adoption persist. How are brands and government incentives encouraging American drivers to switch to EVs?

What are the challenges faced by American EV buyers?

Ultra-low-cost carriers offer a no-frills experience at very low fares and charge mercilessly for ancillary services. With consumers more willing to splurge on travel, demand for premium cabins has gone up. How can budget airlines keep up when people increasingly see travel as an indulgent treat?

How can budget airlines win back value-conscious travelers?

Climate change is a leading issue and the UK government has committed to a net zero emissions pledge by 2050. To reach it, voters must also take action and need political parties to support them. But in economically unstable times, how can political parties mobilise Gen Z voters?

How do UK voters feel about climate policy?

As part of an attempt to change China’s title as the world’s biggest polluter and bridge the say-do gap in EV adoption, homegrown brands are working double time to make innovation as accessible as possible. BYD rises to the top of this list, overtaking Tesla’s dominance in the eco-driving market.

How BYD speeds up Chinese drivers’ access to green vehicles

Toyota has announced a 60% discount on its hydrogen-powered Mirai sedan as hydrogen fuel prices skyrocket in California. Although people claim they’re keen to make big lifestyle changes to help the environment – including spending more money – the intention-action gap remains for many.

Toyota slashes price of hydrogen EVs to boost adoption

The University of Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) is set to test-run an eco-friendly bike-sharing app for students. As eco-conscious consumers remain committed to making sustainable everyday choices, there's an opportunity for brands to enhance transparency and active participation.

Philippine university pilots an eco-bicycle sharing app

In the Philippines, rising prices, traffic, and inefficient modes of public transportation take out a big chunk of commuters’ precious time every day. To cope, Filipinos exhibit resilience through organised online communities, humour, and alternative ways to get around the city.

How Filipinos navigate poor public transport through community

Rental e-bikes, e-scooters, and cars are rapidly becoming part of many Britons’ day-to-day routines. What’s driving them to choose these shared mobility services – and do they prefer them to owning their own vehicle? Canvas8 spoke to eight people in the UK to find out. 

What’s driving Britons towards shared mobility services?

Despite car ownership being a key marker of the American lifestyle, shared services are booming thanks to a desire for affordable and low-maintenance transport options. Canvas8 spoke to eight people from across the US to find out why they opt for e-bikes, scooters, and ride-hailing apps.

What’s driving Americans towards shared mobility services?

Research has revealed that Gens Y and Z are more prone to aggressive driving accidents than older generations. Driven in part by elevated levels of anxiety among younger people, automakers and brands in this space have an opportunity to help limit stressful driving conditions.

Gens Y and Z are suffering from road rage in the US

Have we reached the watershed moment for EV adoption? How are shared mobility services shaping the lives of urbanites? What does it take to get people to switch to more innovative or sustainable travel methods? What are people’s expectations from exclusive travel experiences?

Getting Around Sector Snapshot: February 2024

With innovation rapidly advancing in the luxury travel industry, people are seeking more exclusive journeys that can deliver a unique experience beyond arrival at the final destination. Whether travelling by air, land, or rail, brands that cater to growing lifestyle changes without compromising on quality are gaining the favour of eco-conscious luxury travellers.

Exclusive Journeys

People are open to adopting more innovative or sustainable travel methods – but they want brands to ensure they address the pain points around them first. As a result, people are looking for human and user-centric approaches to make their transport experiences as smooth as possible.

Smooth Rides

With high costs and sustainability ethics making vehicle ownership increasingly unachievable, shared transport has become an attractive option – both for affordability and regarding future-facing green strategies.

Shared Services

Innovation and falling costs are causing electric vehicles to finally emerge as an achievable reality for more people than ever. Increased battery capacity, stronger charging infrastructure, cheap yet reliable options, and novelty offerings are opening up the world of more sustainable transport.

EV-olution

P&O Cruises is enticing travellers with a promise of both new connections and quality time with loved ones. Following an uptick in both loneliness and a post-pandemic revenge travel mindset, people are increasingly looking for maximalist experiences that can also facilitate relationship building.

P&O Cruises prioritises connection and quality time

Data shows that China’s BYD has surpassed Tesla to become the top EV manufacturer globally. With APAC shaping up to be the next battleground for EV dominance, brands need to strike a balance between accessibility and premiumisation when courting customers from emerging markets.

China's BYD beats Tesla in global EV race

Consumer electronics brand Xiaomi is launching its first electric car with the unveiling of the SU7. The brand is taking a ‘human-centric’ approach that aims to mesh the in-car UX with the experience of its smartphone users, creating a point of difference as battery technology and range improve.

Xiaomi takes a human centric approach to EVs

Safety first! Creatara’s two-wheeler electric vehicles (EVs) are winning among fast-paced Indian Gen Zers with their innovative designs, security guarantees, and customisation options. Will its efforts be able to keep up with, or even help, India’s EV push, and what does this mean for other brands?

Why Creatara accelerates EV safety for Indian Gen Zers

Veuve Clicquot and Belmond have teamed up to curate a selection of exclusive train journeys across three continents aimed at HNWIs. Amid an economic crisis, the collaboration highlights how brands are catering to a subset of the luxury demographic via unique and sustainable travel experiences.

Veuve Clicquot and Belmond cater to luxury eco-travel

Growth in Electric Vehicle sales continues to outpace combustion vehicles in India despite a slowdown. Indeed, EVs are becoming a status symbol for those in India’s major cities and smaller towns; the challenge for brands will be adapting to a market typically focussed on affordability.

Electric two-wheelers are status symbols in India

The Japanese automaker has announced plans to enter the Thai EV market by kickstarting domestic production of its e:N1 model. As more vehicle owners in Thailand look to pivot to electric alternatives, they’ll be looking for brands that can balance premium quality with affordability.

Honda takes aim at Thailand’s growing appetite for EVs

EVs are reshaping UK car culture, moving from nostalgia to digital integration. Rapid tech advances lead to obsolescence concerns while shifting ownership models and advanced in-car features redefine the driving experience and consumer relationships. How can brands fuel loyalty in this dynamic era?

The dawn of a digital driving era in the UK

Starbucks has opened electric vehicle charging stations along the thousand-mile stretch between Denver and Seattle as part of its partnership with Volvo. With range anxiety acting as a barrier to EV adoption, brands are stepping in to improve national infrastructure and quell these concerns.

Starbucks enters the EV business with charging points

In the UK, TravelWest’s Birthday Bus Pass is a transport initiative offering residents free bus travel during the month of their birthday. Launched in August 2023, it’s the first intervention of its kind in the country that increases passenger numbers and encourages behavioural change.

How Birthday Bus Passes get Britons travelling

Motortaxi-hailing platform Angkas is widely recognised in the Philippines for being attuned to what its consumers want – from affordable transportation solutions to amusing moment marketing. How did they achieve their unique position amid several transportation crises in the country?

How Angkas beats the traffic with pop culture humour

Though many Australians own more than one car, the cost of living is challenging people to rethink their household spend. A new campaign from Uber Carshare is tapping into the appetite for multiple cars within one household, while also acknowledging rising costs and offering a flexible alternative. 

Uber Carshare makes ‘second cars’ more affordable

A survey has found that half of Americans plan to spend money on travel this holiday season. The holidays are gearing up to be a busy time for getaways, meaning people will be looking to brands and services for support with more seamless processes – especially after the disruption of 2022.

Americans want seamless holiday travel experiences

Any Wear, Anywhere is a service from Japan Airlines that allows passengers to rent clothes for their trip to Japan. Offering twin benefits of sustainability and hyper-convenience, it motivates people to make more sustainable choices by fitting into and serving busy, time-poor urban lifestyles.

Why Japan Airlines is renting clothes to travellers

The autonomous vehicle market is expanding rapidly, and ‘driverless taxis’ now roam the streets of North America, piquing the interest of tech-savvy city-goers who are switching up their transportation routines. Can the San Francisco-based app ‘Cruise’ prove that this is more than a passing fad?

Cruise: driverless taxis for the modern city dweller

The rise of remote working is reshaping cities, raising debates about the long-term consequences for public transport, urban amenities, and cognitive labour. Canvas8 spoke to Libby Sander, an internationally renowned expert on the workplace, about how new work realities could transform cities.

Libby Sander on future of work in post-pandemic cities

E-mobility is arriving in Kenya on two wheels. Motorbike taxis, or boda bodas, are going electric in a bid to reduce air pollution and prompt EV adoption among the urban majority. How are Kenyan start-ups solving local issues, and what can they teach us about sustainable design?

How Kenya is kickstarting Africa’s e-mobility revolution

Can EV infrastructure support mainstream breakthroughs? How will return-to-office policies affect public transit? And could local interventions support green mobility in neighbourhoods? In this chapter of the 2024 Expert Outlook, we speak to three experts about how people will get around next year.

2024 Expert Outlook on Getting Around

Car culture is often stereotyped as a man's world, but new, tight-knit communities hope to change that. Garage Girls is making space for female car enthusiasts to come together and share their passion for cars in a safe space, showing a shift in the way drivers are represented.

Garage Girls: a community for female petrolheads

Why are people reconsidering what driving means to their lifestyle? How is automation going to reshape personal and public transportation? Why are people demanding elevated in-flight experiences? What eco solutions do people want from brands to drive sustainability in the transport sector?

Getting Around Sector Snapshot: July 2023

As a result of the cost of living crisis, sustainability is taking a back seat when it comes to transport – unless it can be passive and rewarding. People are looking for ways to get around that are as cheap and accessible as they are sustainable, as the responsibility for eco options shifts from the public to brands and authorities.

Seamless Sustainability

With the advancement of AI, the way that people are navigating spaces is inevitably set to change. Automated transport promises convenience – whether that is the planning or the actual getting around. Safety concerns still loom large but people are increasingly putting more faith in tech in exchange for accessibility and lower costs.




Auto–nomadic

The air travel industry has gone through a crisis during the pandemic and has emerged into a consumer landscape ridden with fresh challenges. While the infrastructure is overloaded by a wave of ‘revenge travel’, lost luggage and delays are on the rise. With budgets stretched by the cost of living crisis, people want to feel that air travel is worth paying for: seamless, sustainable, and elevated for quality comfort.

Elevated Aviation

With innovation rapidly advancing in the auto sector and EVs and self-driving cars becoming a tangible reality, people are reconsidering what driving means for them, their lifestyles, and identities.They’re looking for new ways to engage with cars and expect the sector’s technological advancement to benefit them directly.

Driving Redefined

Woolworths is the first Australian supermarket to use electric delivery trucks, targeting 2030 as the date its whole fleet will be electric. But raw numbers are low – only 27 trucks out of the brand's 1,200 are EVs, highlighting that work needs to be done to push forward Australia’s green transition.

Woolworths foregrounds sustainability with EV roll out

In an unprecedented move, General Motors is joining Tesla’s Supercharger network to streamline EV charging in the US. As charging standards become the next battleground for EV players, companies are being tasked with broadening public access to chargers and bolstering their reliability.

GM joins hands with Tesla to alleviate EV charging woes

In an industry first, the Range Rover Velar – a fresh addition to Jaguar Land Rover’s fleet – has been launched on TikTok with a slew of aspirational content. In utilising the platform, the brand is targeting a young audience of car buyers who are deeply engaged with luxury lifestyles and aesthetics.

Range Rover: courting luxury drivers through TikTok

An airplane joining Alaska Airline’s fleet is adorned with a design highlighting the importance of salmon to the Indigenous people of the state. As Indigenous people globally push for equity, this initiative highlights how brands can encourage community by meaningfully uplifting native voices.

Alaska Airlines inspires community with Indigenous art

With an IKEA-inspired flat-pack super-efficient mini EV, the Swedish start-up Luvly is on a mission to reshape the future of urban transport. Luvly’s DIY EV comes at a time when people are urging brands to step up their sustainability game and put climate action front and centre of their strategies.

Luvly courts eco-conscious drivers with flat-pack EV

Air France and KLM have introduced a discounted business-class ticket that gives passengers access to seats but no other associated perks. With budgets being squeezed but people still wanting to treat themselves, customers are finding ways to access luxury at a discount across various sectors.

Air France and KLM make luxury travel more accessible

As the world moves towards eco-friendliness, there’s a demand for vehicles that are sustainable and provide a well-designed and comfortable living space. Grounded is launching an innovative electric RV equipped with modular design and smart technology, but will conscious travelers take notice?

Grounded: the smart RV transforming van life

Volvo is trying to dismantle gender-based stereotypes in the automotive industry, using representation in ads to spotlight female-led stories that challenge media gender tropes. The move reflects a demand for better representation that accurately reflects society and evolving values.

Volvo challenges tired gender biases in auto ads

Transcollines On Demand is bringing flexible transportation to the regional county municipality of Les Collines-de-L'Outaouais in Western Quebec. With many jobs allowing employees increased flexibility, people are looking for equally adaptable transport models that support diverse routines.

Transcollines caters to diverse commuter routines

With high-end home-swapping sites reporting increases in bookings and the rise of platforms for boat and private jet sharing, HNWI travellers are looking towards the sharing economy. What’s motivating these new travel choices and how can brands tap into this changing behaviour?

Why are luxury travellers embracing the sharing economy?

China Airlines has partnered with the Taiwanese brand SoundOn to launch podcast programming for in-flight entertainment systems. The move recognises the growing power of audio media as a vessel of experience, moving away from potentially overstimulating visual experiences.

China Airlines podcasts improve the in-flight experience

With travel disruptions so common, flying post-pandemic has become a painful experience for many. As Americans reignite their wanderlust, Delta Air Lines is personalizing in-flight offerings and leveling up little luxuries.                                               

Delta Air Lines: elevating the in-flight experience

Avanti West Coast has launched a dedicated communication channel to assist disabled travellers on their commutes. Through the integration of WhatsApp, customers will be able to receive prompt support to ensure that their impairments have no bearing on the smoothness of their journeys.

Avanti West Coast simplifies accessible travel

GetGo is a car-sharing platform making personal transportation affordable and accessible in Singapore. A 2023 round of funding is boosting its EV capabilities along with its operations, helping it reach a growing audience of people looking to minimise ownership and stay green – but still get around.

GetGo gives Singaporeans an easy way to car-share

Porsche’s Roads app has been updated to use AI that seeks out roads that are fun to drive for their own sake, letting users seek out the scenic route. Many Americans are falling back in love with their cars after the pandemic and are looking for brands to help facilitate IRL discovery.

Porsche drivers can use AI to make driving more fun

A survey has found that EV charging points in Britain's urban areas are creating accessibility problems for people with disabilities. Other obstacles include on-street dining and parked cars, demonstrating the need for inclusive approaches to issues around accessibility.

EV chargers are causing problems for urban accessibilty

Porsche is appealing to Gen Z gaming passions through a partnership with FaZe Clan, as the luxury brand seeks to establish itself among younger audiences. Through niche partnerships and an understanding of the importance of digital identity, brands can emphasize their own personality and relevance. 

Porsche x FaZe Clan targets Gen Z with gaming offerings

In the past few years, electric vehicles have skyrocketed in prominence and popularity, and the industry is on the verge of sustainable success. But as EVs’ successes have become more visible, so have their challenges – it’s clear that their impact won’t be as straightforward as it once seemed.

What makes EVs aspirational to mainstream drivers?

While many travellers remain reliant on tech when on the move, physical map sales are on the rise among Gen Yers and Zers. This surging interest in analogue navigation methods suggests some are shunning the convenience of technology in favour of authentic discovery and adventure.

Rise in paper map sales reflects interest in exploration

Two airlines are poised to offer full-sized bunk beds and dedicated stretching zones on trans-Pacific flights to New York, choosing to offer comfort in lieu of packing planes to the gills. Travellers are looking for seamless, unique, and indulgent experiences after years away from long-haul flights.

Airplane bunk beds cater to Aussies' experiential dreams

Roam is a Swedish-Kenyan start-up seeking to enhance the accessibility of electric transportation by reducing costs and simplifying implementation. As demand increases for reliable and sustainable transit options, what approaches are companies taking to accelerate e-mobility adoption in Africa?

Roam: improving access to electric transport in Africa

Kate is a French automotive company aiming to change the way people use cars for everyday driving. As France moves close to an outright ban on conventional petrol engines, interest in electric cars is on the increase in the country – something Kate is hoping to capitalise on.

Kate aims to modernise everyday driving with eco mini car

Following increasingly common problems with lost luggage, there has been a massive increase in interest in Apple's location-enabled AirTags. The surging interest in the gadget signals shifting travel expectations, as convenience and peace of mind become a priority for those in transit.

AirTag sales boom as travelers prioritize peace of mind

Package holidays are expected to make a comeback in 2023 as people look to experts following years of travel disruption. With tourists looking for security, familiarity, and simplicity from their holidays, there are opportunities to cater to these attitudes and take the fuss out of travelling.

People are choosing package holidays for travel security

In the wake of the pandemic and growing mobile integration, people expect goods and services to reach their doorsteps in record time. With this in mind, on-demand car care brand Spiffy utilizes an easy-to-use app to bring auto maintenance and cleaning to customers wherever they are.

Spiffy: disrupting the car-care experience

Getting Around

Sat navs are an established part of everyday driving; in 2014, 52% of UK drivers used one for directions – up from 32% in 2009. These tools have become so ingrained in how we navigate that the UK’s Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency has updated the driving test, requiring learners to be able to follow a sat nav.