Car sharing shaping auto manufacturing industry: Uber

Liu Zhen, senior vice president of Uber China, speaks at the launching ceremony of the Uber's mid-year strategy in Beijing on July 15, 2016. [Photo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

When more and more people choose to share a car instead of owning one, change is brought to the auto manufacturing industry, Liu Zhen, senior vice president of Uber China, said on Monday.

The change triggers thoughts, and Liu shared hers with the audience.

"Is it still necessary to stick to the traditional auto design where we have both pilot and co-pilot seat? Our statistics show that most of our Uber drivers prefer new-energy cars and will that shape the designs in the future? When people start sharing cars, do we still need so many parking lots? What can we do with the saved space and how can we plan new office buildings in the future?"

Liu's thoughts and questions go beyond just auto industry.

"Traditional property and auto insurance might face changes too when sharing habit forms, " Liu said. "I think technology is bringing imagination and possibility. When facing our future, we can only embrace it, not being overthrown by it."

According to Liu, platforms like Uber have changed traditional employment relations. A report shows 50 percent of Uber drivers chose the job because of the flexibility, which is what people need in modern society.

Liu learned 26 percent of the drivers were laid-off workers.

"The opportunity solved people's employment problem when China is going through traditional economic transformation, " Liu said.