MOBI Consortium

Blockchain technologies has shown not to be limited to the financial sector, large organizations from various industries are also exploring how adopting blockchain could help their business. Blockchain technology was originally created in relation to cryptocurrency; however, it is essentially a distributed database that can store any type of records. It is highly secure and only grants access for modification within what you own, but anyone can see it, which is also highly transparent. The Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI). is a new organization in the transport industry and formed by 37 companies, giants such as BMW, FORD, General Motors, and tech companies like IBM. In 2017 the Blockchain Mobility Consortium merged and in the past year it developed into what is now MOBI. Its aim is to form a network between automakers, public transportation and toll road providers, technology firms, blockchain innovators.

Partners in the network include:

Accenture; Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Services USA; Beyond Protocol Inc; BigchainDB; Blockchain at Berkeley; BMW; Bosch; Chronicled; ConsenSys Systems; Context Labs, Crypto Valley Association; Dashride; Deon Digital AG; Digital Twin Labs; DOVU; Fetch.ai; FOAM; Ford; General Motors; Hyperledger; IBM, the IOTA Foundation; Luxoft; MotionWerk; NuCypher; Oaken Innovations; Ocean Protocol; Outlier Ventures; Renault; Ride Austin; Shareing; Shift, Spherical Analytics; the Trusted IoT Alliance; VeChain; Xain; and ZF Friedrichshafen AG.The consortium will start with vehicle identity and history. But they have broad aims.

Projects development plans involve:

• Data tracking
• Supply chain tracking, transparency, and efficiency
• Autonomous machine and vehicle payments
• Secure mobile commerce
• Data markets for autonomous and human driving
• Car sharing and ride hailing
• Usage-based mobility pricing, and payments for vehicles, insurance, energy, congestion, pollution, and infrastructure.

By creating an opened platform MOBI will use blockchain technology, allowing users, owners, mobility service companies, and infrastructure providers to better control and monetize their assets, including their data. Building trust among users, reducing risk of fraud cases, and reducing frictions and transaction costs in mobility.Chris Ballinger, former Chief Financial Officer and Director of Mobility Services at Toyota Research Institute, is joining MOBI as Chairman and CEO. “Blockchain and related trust enhancing technologies are poised to redefine the automotive industry and how consumers purchase, insure and use vehicles. By bringing together automakers, suppliers, startups, and government agencies, we can accelerate adoption for the benefit of businesses, consumers and communities,” Ballinger said.