How to use a Mobility Data API to build a sustainable future for your shared mobility service

Whether your fleet is composed of e-moped, e-bikes, or e-scooters, there is one thing that you can do to keep the city you operate in happy – share your data with them! Read more to find out how you can create strong partnerships with the municipalities you operate in thanks to Mobility Data Application Programming Interfaces (API)!

For mobility providers, creating synergies with municipalities is key to developing an efficient and solution-oriented mobility ecosystem. When mobility providers share data on mobility with local governments or other regulatory agencies, they can manage streets, sidewalks, and other spaces in a more informed and effective way. And they’ll be more willing to work with you instead of against you.

But how can you set up a line of communication that works for both parties? Here, at Wunder, we have a solution that enables smooth data communication between your business and your city – a Mobility Data API!

What is a Mobility Data API?

An API – or application program interface — allows developers to access another application or platform. APIs are protocols that allow data to flow safely between providers and cities and they can be built to serve different purposes, e.g. to provide pre-collision alerts, convert coordinates into location information, or even accept payments and move money.

How does the Mobility Data API work?

A Mobility Data API can be used for many different tasks, from calculating daily permit fees to adjusting to the dynamic urban environment in real-time. In some cities having a Mobility Data API is a requirement for you to be able to operate there, if you think this might be the case for you, get in touch with our team and we’ll assist you.

If you choose to add a Mobility Data API to your subscription, then our app will request frontend API endpoints for specific use cases, e.g. when displaying the vehicles on the map and there is a specific endpoint which needs to be called. For most of the endpoints, you can hand over specific parameters to get the results you need (e.g. latitude and longitude for the cars in the map use case).

The API then collects the necessary data and gives it back to the requestor (i.e. our app). The app will then take care of using the information which comes back from the API.

In this way, Mobility Data APIs provide local agencies with a standardized way to manage data from your shared mobility company, while giving cities the tools they need to manage all kinds of public services.

Why should I add the Mobility Data API to my subscription?

When mobility providers and cities join forces to offer citizens better mobility options, they can accomplish great things. Having a constant flow of data between the two can help both to collaborate more efficiently to solve problems and to find out more about citizens’ needs through data analysis.

Ultimately, the Mobility Data API helps to establish mutual trust and a frictionless working relationship between mobility providers and city officials. This is key to ensuring that you build a sustainable future for your shared mobility service.

A Mobility Data API also helps providers to:

• Streamline communications between cities and mobility providers, making it easier to solve problems in a collaborative way with shared data or assets
• Provide a single reporting standard, eliminating redundant data formatting and processing
• Scale by offering a platform and best practices that you can offer to new city markets

Here at Wunder, a Mobility Data API is a value added service, just like our IoT Connector and webhooks, which means that it is a paid-for extra. So, why pay for it? Well, we will work with you to add a customized Mobility Data API for you. This means that you can specify the cities you’ll be operating in and we will ensure that you share the right data with the local authorities. We also support a range of different standards, e.g. MDS, SIVU, GBFS, and DFT.

However, we don’t just offer you the interface – if you decide to go for it, the Wunder team will activate, maintain and perform regular updates on the Mobile Data API on your system, making sure it continues to serve your mobility business flawlessly.

So, why not add a Mobility Data API today, to ensure that you play a bigger role in your city’s (or cities’) ecosystem, build a sustainable future, and scale faster!

Ready to get going? Right now, we’re offering up to 20% off our software if you order our vehicles at the same time. What are you waiting for? Get in touch with our team and let’s see where our software and value added services can take you!