The traditional car rental via an app - it's here

Shared mobility continues to evolve quickly. At ATOM Connect 2026 in Riga, operators, technology providers, and industry experts came together to discuss where the market is heading and what will define successful operators in the coming years. The discussions covered everything from fleet economics and regulation to AI, insurance, MaaS, and operator growth stories.

One thing became increasingly clear throughout the event: The industry is entering a different phase. Growth is still happening, but the rules for winning are changing.

🚲 E-bikes are becoming the core shared mobility asset

For years, shared e-scooters dominated headlines and rapid expansion stories. Now the conversation is gradually shifting.

Research presented by Frost & Sullivan suggests that e-bikes are increasingly becoming the preferred shared micromobility mode in many markets because of stronger unit economics, lighter regulatory friction, and changing rider behavior.

Some numbers presented:

• Average lifetime gross profit per shared scooter: ~$2,073
• Average lifetime gross profit per shared e-bike: ~$4,336
• Average scooter lifespan: ~3 years
• Average e-bike lifespan: ~4 years

Despite higher vehicle costs, e-bikes generate stronger long-term economics. We also saw examples from operators:

• Forest increased its e-bike fleet by 34%, while more cities increasingly support bike-focused mobility systems.

The interesting part is that e-bikes are gradually shifting from “fun transportation” toward everyday commuting infrastructure.

📈 Growth continues while fleet size remains relatively stable

One surprising trend discussed during the event was that the European shared micromobility market continues growing despite relatively stable fleet sizes.

Normally, growth comes from deploying more vehicles. Now something different appears to be happening:

• Better utilization
• Increased rider adoption
• Improved retention
• Subscription models

This is an important shift because it suggests the market is becoming more efficient. Instead of flooding cities with additional vehicles, operators are increasingly focused on generating more value from existing fleets.

💰 Subscriptions are becoming increasingly important

Historically, shared mobility relied heavily on per-ride revenue. That model is also changing.

Frost & Sullivan highlighted subscriptions as one of the strongest trends for 2026, with subscription-heavy models showing positive profitability dynamics. This aligns with what many operators shared during discussions. Subscriptions bring several advantages:

• Higher retention
• Predictable recurring revenue
• Lower customer acquisition pressure
• Better ride frequency

The industry may gradually move toward a model that looks more like SaaS and memberships rather than only pay-per-use transportation.

🤖 AI is moving from experiments to core operations

AI was one of the strongest themes throughout the event. Only a few years ago, AI in mobility often meant pilots and interesting demos. Now operators increasingly use it for daily operations. Examples discussed included:

• Demand forecasting
• Rebalancing optimization
• Predictive maintenance
• Safety monitoring
• Fraud detection
• Dynamic insurance pricing
• Battery optimization

Frost & Sullivan identified AI-powered demand anticipation as one of the highest-impact trends for operators in 2026.

Yuri Narozniak from datafolio also shared examples where AI predicts high-risk insurance zones and dynamically adjusts risk models based on ride behavior. Datafolio additionally introduced integrated rider insurance options, with approximately 25% long-term rider adoption.

🌍 Regulation is increasingly determining market strategy

Regulation has become one of the biggest variables affecting operator success. Different cities continue taking very different approaches. Examples discussed included:

Positive developments:

• UK extending e-scooter trials until 2028
• Netherlands approving road-legal e-scooters
• Oslo doubling scooter capacity

Restrictions:

− Prague banning shared scooters

− Italy tightening compliance requirements

Cities want fewer operators, stronger compliance, and more accountability.

Winning a market increasingly depends on safety records, operational quality, data transparency, compliance history rather than simply deploying larger fleets.

📱 MaaS continues connecting fragmented mobility services

Raymon Pouwels shared the growth story behind umob and the continued expansion of Mobility-as-a-Service. The long-term vision remains simple: One interface, multiple transportation services.

Users increasingly expect transportation to behave similarly to digital services: Open one app -> See all options -> Choose what works best.

The market continues moving toward stronger integration between operators and MaaS platforms.

🏆 What separates operators who will win in 2026?

One slide from Frost & Sullivan summarized it particularly well:

"The operators still standing in 2026 didn't win on product - they won on discipline, selectivity, and city relationships."

Looking across both research and operator stories, common patterns repeatedly appeared:

✔ Lean and efficient operations
✔ Strategic market selection
✔ Diversified revenue streams
✔ Strong partnerships
✔ Data-driven decisions
✔ Safety and compliance focus

Thank you again to all speakers, partners, and participants who joined us at ATOM Connect 2026 and contributed to the discussions. We are excited to continue building the future of mobility together.

‍

Want to continue the conversation? 🚀

Our team will be attending Micromobility Europe (June 2-3, Berlin) and we'll have a booth there. If you're attending too, come say hello, grab a coffee, and let's talk mobility ☕

In any ride-hailing or mobility business, the driver app is a great tool. However, it is also the main interface drivers use every day to accept rides, navigate, track earnings, and communicate with the platform. If the experience is slow, confusing, or unreliable, drivers leave. If and when that happens, operations suffer immediately.

This is why driver experience has become an important factor in platform performance. According to industry insights, driver churn remains one of the biggest challenges in ride-hailing, with platforms needing to continuously recruit and onboard new drivers to maintain supply. The 2025 Gig Driver Report found that 68% of gig drivers use two or more platforms every month, which shows how easily drivers switch between apps when the experience, earnings, or payout process feels better elsewhere.

A well-built driver app does more than support operations. It improves efficiency, increases completed trips, and helps build long-term driver loyalty.

The driver app is the core of daily operations

Drivers rely on the app for almost everything during a shift. It needs to work reliably in real conditions, including high demand, long hours, and unstable connections.

A modern driver app should allow drivers to:

• Accept and manage ride requests
• Navigate easily using popular apps such Waze or Google maps
• Track earnings in real time
• Easily understand interfacen and buttons
• Control availability and working hours

Solutions like the ATOM Mobility driver app bring all of this into one system, reducing friction and making daily work simpler for drivers. When everything works in one place, drivers spend less time solving issues and more time completing trips.

Navigation and dispatch directly affect earnings

Accurate navigation and smart ride assignment are two of the biggest factors affecting driver productivity.

Drivers need to:

• Find pickup points quickly
• Follow efficient routes
• Avoid unnecessary idle time

Even small improvements in routing and dispatch can make a difference. Better routing reduces wasted time and fuel use, which improves both driver earnings and operational efficiency across the platform.

At the same time, automated dispatch ensures drivers receive rides consistently. Features like back-to-back trip assignments reduce downtime and keep drivers active throughout their shift.

Payments and transparency build trust

Drivers want clarity when it comes to earnings. If payouts are delayed or unclear, trust drops quickly.

A good driver app should show:

• Earnings pe each trip
• Daily, weekly and monthly totals

Clear earnings tracking reduces disputes and gives drivers confidence in the platform. It also simplifies operations for companies managing large fleets.

Driver experience and retention are directly connected

Driver experience is closely linked to retention. Small issues like unclear earnings, poor navigation, bad UI or inconsistent ride flow can push drivers to another platform.

This is why long-term retention strategies matter, especially in competitive markets where drivers have multiple options, as explained in how to retain drivers on your ride-hailing platform long term.

Platforms that invest in driver experience early reduce churn and avoid constant recruitment costs.

The driver app is part of a larger platform

The driver app does not exist on its own. It is part of a broader system that includes rider apps, dispatch tools, analytics, and payment systems.

Most operators today do not build these systems from scratch. Instead, they launch using ready-made platforms where all components are connected, including the driver app, as explained in this guide on building a personalized white-label taxi app.

This approach allows companies to launch faster and scale without rebuilding core infrastructure.

Driver experience should match your business model

Not all ride-hailing platforms are the same. Some focus on premium services, others on affordability, and others on specific local markets.

The driver app needs to support that positioning. Features, pricing logic, and workflows should reflect the type of service being offered, which is explored further in this article on finding your niche in the ride-hailing market.

When the product and the business model align, both drivers and passengers have a clearer experience.

Continuous improvement matters

Driver expectations continue to evolve. Features that were once optional are now standard.

Platforms that continue to improve their tools and workflows stay competitive longer. Many of these improvements come from real operational challenges, as seen in recent updates highlighted in ATOM Mobility’s latest platform features.

Small improvements in daily workflows can have a large impact when applied across hundreds or thousands of drivers.

The driver app is one of the most important parts of any mobility platform. It affects how drivers work, how much they earn, and whether they stay.

A reliable and well-designed app improves daily operations, reduces friction, and helps platforms scale more efficiently. It also builds long-term driver trust, which is one of the hardest things to maintain in a competitive market.

As mobility businesses continue to grow, the quality of the driver app will remain one of the key factors that determines whether a platform can scale successfully or struggles with constant churn.