{"id":20174,"date":"2016-11-18T17:46:50","date_gmt":"2016-11-18T22:46:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/start-your-engines-via-your-smart-phone\/"},"modified":"2016-11-18T17:53:56","modified_gmt":"2016-11-18T22:53:56","slug":"start-your-engines-via-your-smart-phone","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/start-your-engines-via-your-smart-phone\/","title":{"rendered":"Start your engines\u2026 via your smart phone."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Lynk &amp; Co is a new car brand born as a JV between Sweden\u2019s Volvo and China\u2019s Geely cars. It is releasing the hybrid \u201c01 model\u201d compact SUV in 2017 in China, Europe and the US<sup>1<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>I hear you, \u201cWhat? Another car brand? But it\u2019s not even electric\u2026 or autonomous!\u201d Well, if you had any of these thoughts, you\u2019re not alone. Alain Visser, the CEO of Lynk &amp; Co shares your opinion, \u201cThe world doesn\u2019t need another car brand.\u201d<sup>2<\/sup> Then why on earth is Lynk building one from scratch? Because, like Apple with the iPhone, Lynk doesn\u2019t believe they\u2019re building a car but rather a fully connected source of mobility<sup>3<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-20221 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk2-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"lynk2\" width=\"363\" height=\"204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk2-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk2.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px\" \/><\/a>Now this all sounds very whimsical. Isn\u2019t every car maker vigorously working to more seamlessly integrate their product with smart technology in a more connected world? So why is Lynk any different? Well, Lynk claims that they are tackling digital from the opposite direction. That is, rather than layering technology on top of a car platform, high-tech is being built at the very heart of its product design, making the user experience and interface highly customizable.<\/p>\n<p>So what \u201chigh-tech\u201d is Lynk &amp; Co really offering and what does this mean for its business and operating model? There are a few different things that stand out:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Full connectivity;<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Direct to consumer supply chain; and<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>A sharing and monetization platform<\/em><sup>4<\/sup><em>.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Full connectivity:<\/strong> Lynk &amp; Co cars will be permanently connected via 4G enabling sharing of data among themselves, including available parking spaces and the optimal speed to balance safely hitting green lights while preventing over acceleration and deceleration. Lynk will offer open API and the first dedicated app store for cars. Cars will not only have Apple CarPlay, MirrorLink, and Android Auto (in some markets), but also onboard telematics for permanent connection with the world via the Lynk &amp; Co cloud.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Direct to consumers:<\/strong> Lynk &amp; Co claims that as much as 25% of a car\u2019s cost can be sunk into dealerships, so while it will have flagship stores, its primary distribution method will be direct (like Tesla). This will cut out the costly middlemen as well as provide a delivery and car servicing offering (pick-up, servicing and return) right to the customer\u2019s door.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-20223 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk3-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"lynk3\" width=\"335\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk3-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/Lynk3.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sharing and monetization:<\/strong> Many argue that this is the largest differentiating factor. Lynk &amp; Co will provide a platform for car owners to share and lease their vehicle to others when it would otherwise be unutilized. That is, owners will be able to provide access for others to use their car, for a fee if they wish, by providing digital keys through their iPhone.<sup>5<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Hold on though, what about the elephant in the room? Such levels of connectivity and openness are great but won\u2019t this provide the highest potential hacking vectors of any car to-date?<\/p>\n<p>Well, yes.<\/p>\n<p>In the connected world, greater convenience usually comes with the trade-off of greater vulnerability. Lynk &amp; Co are confident that this won\u2019t be an issue for them but then again, which company sets out to tell its potential customers that their product has the highest security risk?<sup>6<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Ironically, Lynk &amp; Co\u2019s value proposition is to be reassuring and secure, but also perfectly integrated and synced up with our constantly connected lives<sup>7<\/sup>. It is positioning itself as an aspirational brand, slotting in between Geely\u2019s budget vehicles and Volvo\u2019s more premium line-up. In short, Lynk &amp; Co wants to deliver connected, design-driven and very competitively priced cars where the perceived value is way beyond its actual price tag.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So where to from here? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lynk &amp; Co is planning a 02, 03 and other models to complete a full range of cars where electrification and self-driving capabilities will play an increasingly central role.<sup>4<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Personally, I think these are both great ideas. However, I think the real value opportunity is in providing a highly customizable and connected set of vehicles suitable for single and multi-person mobility that owners can share and monetize&#8230; all within a truly safe and secure ecosystem \u2013 <em>no biggy<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>I think the jury is still out on this one \u2013 there are, and will continue to be, a plethora of skeptics. However, Lynk &amp; Co certainly see an opportunity and are comfortable with divided opinions \u2013 &#8220;[we] would rather be something special to someone, than be bland to everyone.&#8221;<sup>4<\/sup>\u00a0I find their attitude quite refreshing, especially in an industry many deem outdated and inefficient. So I have to ask, \u201cShould Lynk &amp; Co push the automobile industry in this direction, even if the 01 model fails?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d love to hear your opinion.<\/p>\n<p>TV \u2013 xoxo.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Word count: 764<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Footnotes<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Forbes, \u201cEverything you need to know about Lynk &amp; Co\u2019s new business model to sell and share cars\u201d, http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/tychodefeijter\/2016\/10\/23\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-lynk-cos-new-business-model-to-sell-and-share-cars\/#44a954fe50a3, accessed 16 November 2016.<\/li>\n<li>The Verge, \u201cLynk &amp; Co is a car company that\u2019s refreshingly cynical about car companies\u201d, http:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2016\/10\/21\/13356930\/lynk-and-co-new-car-company-alain-visser, accessed 16 November 2016.<\/li>\n<li>Lynk &amp; Co, \u201cThe car is not a car\u201d, http:\/\/www.lynkco.com\/en\/car-and.html, accessed 16 November 2016.<\/li>\n<li>The Verge, \u201cLynk &amp; Co is a new car brand that was \u2018born digital\u2019\u201d, http:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2016\/ 10\/19\/13328674\/lynk-and-co-geely-connected-car-volvo-launch-official, accessed 16 November 2018.<\/li>\n<li>The Boston Consulting Group, \u201cWhat\u2019s ahead for car sharing?\u201d, https:\/\/www.bcgperspectives. com\/content\/articles\/automotive-whats-ahead-car-sharing-new-mobility-its-impact-vehicle-sales\/, accesses 16 November 2016.<\/li>\n<li>Strategy&amp;, \u201cConnected car report 2016: Opportunities, risk, and turmoil on the road to autonomous vehicles\u201d, http:\/\/www.strategyand.pwc.com\/reports\/connected-car-2016-study, accessed 16 November 2016.<\/li>\n<li>Road and Track, \u201cLynk &amp; Co wants to build a car you\u2019ll love as much as your smartphone\u201d, http:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/new-cars\/future-cars\/a31258\/lynk-co-first-chinese-car-in-america-usa\/, accessed 16 November 2016.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lynk &amp; Co&#8217;s digital strategy aims to disrupt and revolutionize the car industry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2222,"featured_media":20305,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[1301,1802,1194],"class_list":["post-20174","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-automobiles","category-autonomous-vehicles","category-shared-economy"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/digitization-challenge-2016\/","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Start your engines\u2026 via your smart phone. - Technology and Operations Management<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/start-your-engines-via-your-smart-phone\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Start your engines\u2026 via your smart phone. - Technology and Operations Management\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Lynk &amp; 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