August 6, 1997 : Microsoft & Apple Cooperate

By the mid-1990s, Apple was in dangerously bad shape. The company’s market share was dwindling, its product line was confused, and it was bleeding money. Their future looked bleak, and it needed a lifeline and they all knew it.

Enter Microsoft, led by Bill Gates (the then-richest man in the world). On August 6, 1997, at the Macworld Expo in Boston, Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder, announced a surprising partnership with Microsoft. The announcement, made via a live video feed of Gates, was met with a mixture of boos and applause from the audience.

The deal involved Microsoft investing $150 million in Apple in exchange for non-voting shares, thereby providing Apple with much-needed cash. Furthermore, Microsoft committed to continue developing its Office software for Mac for the next five years, ensuring that Mac users could access the same productivity tools as PC users. In return, Apple agreed to make Internet Explorer the default web browser on its machines.

It’s fair to say that the more cynical among us might prefer to look “under the bonnet” of this deal because at the time there were concerns around monopolies, patent infringements and potentially even darker issues that we’ll likely never be allowed to know. Plus, both companies aren’t strangers to spinning positive PR, so it’s probably wise to keep an open mind.

Nevertheless, it worked insofar as it demonstrated that even fierce competitors could find common ground and collaborate for mutual benefit. The agreement allowed Apple to regain its footing and eventually launch a series of innovative products, including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad, which revolutionised the tech industry.

Rather than spending time typing out your handwritten meeting notes, Google Keep’s OCR means you can quickly convert them into typed text simply by taking a photo of them using your phone. Here’s how to use it:

– If you have a Google account, Keep is included, but since the process involves taking a photo of your notes on your smartphone, download Google Keep from the Google Play store (Android) or Apple App Store (iPhone).

– Open the Google Keep app and tap the image icon (bottom of the screen).

– Tap on ‘Take a photo’ and tap on ‘OK’, give the image a title e.g., meeting notes, and tap the image to make it full screen.

– Click on the three dots (top right) and tap on ‘Grab image text’. The text from the image will be displayed below.

– Tap on the text to edit it.

– When you’re happy with the edited version, tap the three dots bottom right and select ‘Send’ which gives the options to ‘Copy to Google Docs’ or ‘Send via other apps’ e.g., your email or WhatsApp.

– Google Keep also allows voice recordings.

Microsoft’s announcement of pricing for its AI productivity suite 365 Copilot shows its intent to monetise its AI, ending any expectations of free AI provision.

Furthering Its (Monetising) Ambitions – Microsoft 365 Copilot & Bing Chat Enterprise 

Announced under the heading “furthering our ambitions”, Microsoft has released details of both Bing Chat Enterprise and Microsoft 365 Copilot pricing.

Bing Chat Enterprise is an AI-powered chat tool for work with commercial data protection that’s accessible for subscriber via bing.com/chat and the Microsoft Edge sidebar in their work account.

Microsoft 365 Copilot is the company’s AI chatbot, processing, and orchestration engine that’s embedded in the Microsoft 365 apps and works behind the scenes to combine the power of LLMs like GPT-4, with the Microsoft 365 apps and business data in the Microsoft Graph.

Microsoft 365 Copilot Pricing 

Microsoft has announced that 365 pricing for Copilot for commercial customers will be $30 per user, per month for Microsoft 365 E3, E5, Business Standard and Business Premium customers (when broadly available). The pricing follows the expansion of the Microsoft 365 Copilot paid Early Access Program in May to 600 enterprise customers worldwide, including companies like KPMG, Lumen, and Emirates NBD. The company is confident that the value of Copilot expressed during the Early Access Program and the AI tool’s benefits justify the price tag, saying: “The more customers use Copilot, the more their enthusiasm for Copilot grows. Soon, no one will want to work without it.”

Why Microsoft Says It’s Worth The Extra $360 Per Year 

In its pricing announcement, Microsoft reminded users what makes Copilot worth the extra investment, citing:

– Unlike some generative AI apps, Copilot doesn’t focus on a single capability but “puts thousands of skills at your command and can reason over all your content and context to take on any task”.

– Copilot’s good on its own, but also integrated into the popular 365 apps (millions of people use daily).

– It uses the customer’s actual business data in the Microsoft Graph thereby “grounding” it – making it practically useful and customised.

Microsoft’s Investment In AI (And OpenAI)

Microsoft has invested heavily in AI and incorporating it into its products. For example, OpenAI, ChatGPT’s developers, first partnered with Microsoft in July 2019 in a collaboration aimed at bringing OpenAI’s technologies to Microsoft’s cloud services, allowing customers to build and run AI-powered applications and services. ChatGPT is also supported by Microsoft’s Azure services as part of the collaboration.

Fast forward to today and OpenAI’s models and generative capability have been deployed across Microsoft’s consumer and enterprise products as Copilot in (for example) 365 Copilot, Copilot for Viva, Copilot X (for coding), and Security Copilot.

A Lesson From ChatGPT 

It’s clear that Microsoft has learned from ChatGPT’s experience, i.e. having to introduce a $20 version relatively early on to cover its operating costs, estimated in April to have been $700,000 per day / 36 cents per query (ref. SemiAnalysis) and, therefore, has realised the need for and the potential value of monetising Copilot as early as possible.

Also, with many businesses now having fully adopted ChatGPT as an important business tool, realised its benefits (and therefore the benefits of generative AI), and with many having signed up happily to the $20 version, $30 for what Microsoft sees as an added value, wider scope version probably seems to Microsoft like a fair price. To Microsoft at least.

Questions 

Some commentators, however, still have some questions about a possible lack of case studies, figures, and success stories to date about how companies have actually been using Copilot in the real world to demonstrably improve productivity, efficiency, creativity, and profits. No doubt, these will come in time as Copilot is relatively new to most businesses.

Also, since Copilot is grounded in a company’s own data, it’s arguably important to have quality data in the Microsoft Graph to get a quality output. For example, as ChatGPT users will know, the better the prompt and help that the chatbot’s given as an instruction, the better the relevance and quality of its output.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

It’s true that the operating costs of AI chatbots are high, as experienced by ChatGPT. Many businesses are already aware of the value of generative AI and as with ChatGPT, have shown that paying for a ‘business’ version is popular. These are two reasons why, along with its considerable investment in AI, Microsoft’s “Ambitions” already include charging $30 per user per month for Copilot which the company sees as more than just a one-trick AI pony. Copilot’s integration into popular apps and its ability to work across the whole 365 suite as an orchestrating engine offers businesses obvious productivity and efficiency benefits, provided users are able to understand and harness its power, and this ability to get much greater value from Microsoft 365 that could translate into profits may be something that businesses feel is worth the extra money.

Just as Microsoft is committed to AI across its services, AI is something that’s spreading across all areas of work and personal life in some form or another and with Microsoft and OpenAI both charging for it, perhaps expect (business) AI services coming from other providers to be chargeable too.

Amendments to the UK Online Safety Bill mean a report must be written before powers can be used by the regulator to force tech firms to scan encrypted messages for child abuse images.

What Is The Online Safety Bill? 

The Online Safety Bill is the way the UK government plans to establish a new regulatory regime to address illegal and harmful content online and to impose legal requirements on search engine and internet service providers, including those providing pornographic content. The bill will also give new powers to the Office of Communications (Ofcom), enabling them to act as the online safety regulator.

The Latest Amendments 

The government says the latest amendments to the (highly controversial) Online Safety Bill have been made to address concerns about the privacy implications and technical feasibility of the powers proposed in the bill. The new House of Lords amendments to the bill are:

– A report must be written for Ofcom by a “skilled person” (appointed by Ofcom) before the new powers are used to force a firm, such as an encrypted app like WhatsApp or Signal, to scan messages. Previously, the report was optional. The purpose of the report will be to assess the impact of scanning on freedom of expression or privacy, and to explore whether other less intrusive, less alternative technologies that could be used instead. The report’s findings will be used to help decide whether to force a tech firm, e.g. an encrypted messages app, to scan messages, and a summary of those findings must be shared with the tech firm concerned.

– An amendment to the bill requiring Ofcom to look at the possible impact of the use of technology on journalism and the protection of journalistic sources. Under the amendment, Ofcom would be able to force tech companies to use what’s been termed as “accredited technology” to scan messages for child sexual abuse material.

The Response 

The response from privacy campaigners and digital rights groups has focused on the idea that the oversight of an Ofcom-appointed “skilled person” is not likely to be as effective as judicial oversight (for example), and may not give the right level of consideration to users’ rights. For example, the Open Rights Group described the House of Lords debate on the amendments as a “disappointing experience” and said, that this “skilled person” could be a political appointee, and they would be overseeing decisions about free speech and privacy rights, this would not be “effective oversight”.

Apple’s Threats In Response To ‘Snoopers Charter’ Proposals 

In the same week, Apple said it would simply remove services like FaceTime and iMessage from the UK rather than weaken its security under the new proposals for updating the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) 2016. The new proposals for updates to the act would mean tech companies like Apple and end-to-end encrypted message apps having to clear security features with the Home Office before releasing them to customers and allow the Home Office to demand security features are immediately disabled, without telling the public. Apple has submitted a nine-page statement to the government’s consultation on amendments to the IPA outlining its objections and opposition. For example, Apple says the proposals “constitute a serious and direct threat to data security and information privacy” that would affect people outside the UK.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

What the government says are measures to help in the fight against child sex abuse are seen by some rights groups as a route to monitoring and surveillance, and by tech companies as a way to weaken products and the privacy of their users. The idea that a “skilled person” (e.g. a consultant or political appointee) rather than a judge compiling a report to justify the forced scanning of encrypted messaging apps has not gone down well with the tech companies and rights groups. The fact that the House of Lords debate was the final session of the Report Stage and the last chance for the Online Safety Bill to be amended, before the Bill becomes law with so many major objections from tech companies still being made, it looks unlikely that the big tech companies will comply with the new laws and changes. WhatsApp for example (owned by Meta) has simply said it would pull out the UK market over how new UK laws would force it compromise security which would be considerable blow to many people who use the app for business daily.  Signal (app) has also threatened to pull out of the UK and some critics think that the UK government may be naïve to think that simply pushing ahead with new laws and amendments will result in the big tech companies backing down and complying any time soon. It looks likely that the UK government will have a big fight on its hands going forward.

If you’d like to know what a ‘Pen Test’ is and the sorts of things you can expect from one, this article will give you a helpful overview.

Pen Tests 

Put simply, pen testing is short for “penetration testing” and in a virtual situation (we’ll concentrate mostly on virtual in this article) acts like a security health check for computer systems and networks. Just as a person may go to the doctor for regular check-ups (if you can get an appointment!) to catch any health issues early, businesses and organisations use pen testing to find and fix potential weaknesses in their digital defences before bad actors can exploit them.

Physical pen tests essentially refers to experts creating simulated attacks that mimic criminals’ actions to gain (unauthorised) physical access to things such as sensitive equipment, data centres or sensitive information. Examples of how this is done could include testing barriers, doors and locks, fences, alarm system, or conducting tests involving security guards and other employees to try and gain access.

Why Are Pen Tests Needed? 

The main reason why pen tests are needed is due to the increaslingly high levels of cybercrime and the wide variety of cyber threats that businesses face daily. Within this broader context, there are a number of other reasons why businesses need pen testing. For example, these include:

– Helping businesses to discover the kinds of weaknesses and vulnerabilities in their computer systems, networks, applications, and other digital assets that may be unknown (as yet) to the business but could potentially be exploited by cybercriminals.

– As a way of proactively assessing defences to identify potential entry points before malicious hackers find them, thereby staying one step ahead of cyber criminals.

– To comply with specific data protection and security regulations and standards, and to demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding sensitive data.

– To protect customer data by helping to prevent data breaches. Many businesses handle sensitive customer data (e.g. personal details and financial data) and a successful cyberattack could lead to a data breach, compromising customers’ trust and resulting in legal, financial, and reputational repercussions.

– Cyberattacks can lead to significant financial losses, including costs associated with data recovery, system restoration, legal actions, and potential damage to a company’s reputation. Pen tests, therefore, can help prevent these losses by mitigating security risks.

– Businesses may have valuable intellectual property such as trade secrets or proprietary information that needs protection and pen testing helps ensure that unauthorised access to this such sensitive data is minimised.

– For businesses that collaborate with third-party vendors or partners who might have access to their systems, pen tests can help assess the security of these partners and identify potential risks to the business and value-chain.

– Demonstrating a commitment to security by conducting regular pen tests can enhance a company’s reputation and build trust with customers, clients, and stakeholders.

– Pen tests can also help businesses evaluate their incident response procedures. By Identifying and addressing any security gaps, businesses and organisations make changes that can enable them to respond more effectively to any real cybersecurity incidents.

Regular Testing Is Needed 

Since cybersecurity is an ongoing process, conducting regular pen tests allows businesses to continuously improve their security measures and adapt to new threats and technologies.

What Kinds Of Cyber-Attacks / Cybercrime Can Pen Tests Help Protect Against? 

The types of cyber-attacks regular pen testing can reduce the risk of include:

– Malware Attacks, by assessing the effectiveness of defences against malware, such as viruses, ransomware, and trojans. Testers can try to infiltrate systems with various types of malware to evaluate how well the organisation can detect and prevent such threats.

– Phishing and Social Engineering, by simulating these attacks to check if employees are susceptible to social engineering techniques. These tests help businesses and organisations to educate their staff about potential risks and reinforce security awareness.

– Brute Force and Password Attacks. For example, testers can attempt to crack passwords using brute force or other password-guessing methods to assess the strength of authentication mechanisms and password policies.

– SQL Injection, by identifying any vulnerabilities in web applications that cyber criminals could try to use to target databases.

– DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) Attacks. In this case, pen tests can evaluate how well an organisation’s network and infrastructure can withstand DDoS attacks, which aim to overwhelm systems and disrupt services.

– Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks. Here testers can attempt to intercept and manipulate data between two parties to assess the effectiveness of encryption and network security measures.

– Privilege Escalation, by helping to identify any vulnerabilities that may allow attackers to gain unauthorised access to higher levels of privileges within a system, which could potentially leading to more extensive compromises.

– Zero-Day Exploits. Since these are attacks target previously unknown vulnerabilities with companies having no time (i.e. ‘zero days’) to do anything about them, pen tests can be used to possibly identify similar types of vulnerabilities to zero-day exploits.

– Insider Threat, by helping to assess how well a business / organisation is protected against internal threats posed by employees or contractors with malicious intent or simply making accidental but dangerous mistakes.

– Data Breaches. Pen tests help to identify security weaknesses and prevent unauthorised access to sensitive data, reducing the risk of data breaches and safeguarding customer information. Reducing the risk of data breaches can save businesses a lot of expensive damage.

– IoT (Internet of Things) Vulnerabilities. With the increasing use of IoT devices, pen tests can evaluate the security of these interconnected devices and their potential impact on the overall network.

Who Carries Out Pen Testing? 

Penetration testing is typically carried out by skilled cybersecurity professionals known as “penetration testers”, “ethical hackers” or “security consultants.” These are experts in the field of cybersecurity and have in-depth knowledge of various attack techniques and security best practices.

There are essentially two primary categories of professionals who conduct penetration testing:

1. Internal Penetration Testers. These are cybersecurity specialists employed directly by the organisation or business they are testing. They work as part of the organisation’s security team and have a good understanding of the company’s systems, networks, and applications. Internal penetration testers are familiar with the organisation’s security policies and protocols and may focus on assessing specific internal threats and risks.

2. External Penetration Testers. As the name suggests, external penetration testers are independent third-party experts or cybersecurity firms hired-in by businesses and organisations to conduct (hopefully) unbiased assessments. They are outsiders with no prior knowledge of the company’s infrastructure, mimicking the perspective of an external attacker. The advantage of external testers is that they can bring a fresh and objective view to the evaluation, helping to identify potential blind spots that internal teams might overlook.

In some cases, a combination of both internal and external testers may be the best way to conduct comprehensive assessments.

Recent Advances In Pen Testing 

This year, penetration testing has seen several notable advancements aimed at improving the accuracy and effectiveness of assessing cybersecurity defences. For example, four notable trends are:

– Realistic Simulation Scenarios. Pen testers are increasingly focusing on mimicking real-life cyberattack scenarios to gain a better understanding of an organisation’s vulnerabilities. This approach encompasses technological weaknesses and human factors like employee behaviour, providing a clearer picture of potential risks.

– Automated Testing Tools. Automated penetration testing tools have become essential in streamlining vulnerability detection. They can efficiently scan networks for known flaws and misconfigurations while keeping up to date with emerging threats, reducing manual workloads for security teams.

– Social Engineering Testing. With cybercriminals employing psychological manipulation, social engineering testing has become vital. This approach identifies weaknesses in employee awareness and response strategies against targeted attacks, helping raise organisational preparedness.

– Machine Learning and AI Integration. Inevitably, pen testing incorporating machine learning and artificial intelligence is being adopted to achieve more sophisticated vulnerability detection and response capabilities. This includes identifying unusual patterns in network traffic, adapting to emerging threats, and simulating potential future attacks.

Drawbacks of Pen Testing 

There are, of course, some drawbacks to pen testing. The include, for example:

– Limited Scope. Pen tests focus on specific areas, potentially missing vulnerabilities elsewhere.

– Point-in-Time Assessment. They provide a snapshot and may not address emerging threats (hence the need to keep conducting them).

– Disruption and False Positives. Testing can cause disruptions and lead to false alarms which can be stressful and waste time and resources.

– Cost and Resource Intensive. Pen testing can be expensive and requires skilled professionals.

– Lack of Real-World Impact. It could be true to say that some controlled tests may not fully replicate actual attacks and, therefore, may lack real-world value.

– Human Error and Subjectivity. It’s possible that in some cases, tester expertise can influence results.

– Overconfidence in Security. Successful tests can lead to unwarranted confidence which can lead to businesses making themselves vulnerable by essentially letting their guard down to an extent.

– Legal and Ethical Considerations: Unauthorised testing can have legal repercussions! I.e. pen testing requires authorisation from the business – they must be asked first.

Examples Of Virtual and Physical Pen Tests Your Business Could Use 

Here are summarised examples of the kinds of virtual and physical pen tests that could be used (by cybersecurity professionals) on your business.

In a virtual penetration test, cybersecurity experts simulate cyberattacks on an organisation’s digital infrastructure without physically accessing their premises. Examples of virtual pen tests include:

– A Network Vulnerability Assessment. This is where testers use automated tools and manual analysis to identify weaknesses in the organisation’s network, such as open ports, misconfigurations, and outdated software.

– Web Application Testing. In this stage, security professionals assess web applications for vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and insecure authentication mechanisms.

– Phishing Simulation. Here ethical hackers send bogus phishing emails to employees, testing their susceptibility to social engineering and identifying areas where security awareness training is needed.

In a physical penetration test, experts try to gain unauthorised access to the organisation’s physical premises and sensitive areas. Examples of physical pen tests include:

– Social Engineering. In the physical scenario, testers use various techniques to manipulate employees, such as tailgating (following authorised personnel into secure areas) or pretexting (posing as legitimate individuals to extract sensitive information).

– Physical Access Control Testing. This is where security professionals assess the effectiveness of physical security measures like access badges, CCTV surveillance, and door locks.

– Dumpster Diving. Although an American term, this means testers examining the physical waste (going through the bins) to find discarded sensitive information that could be exploited by attackers.

Report 

Companies typically receive a detailed report at the end of a penetration test. The report outlines the findings, vulnerabilities, and weaknesses identified during the testing process. It provides a comprehensive overview of the organisation’s security posture, detailing potential entry points and areas that need improvement.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Regardless of whether the testing is carried out internally or by external professionals (which can sometimes be expensive) the goal of penetration testing is a worthwhile one – to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the digital infrastructure of a business, thereby helping businesses to bolster their security defences before attackers get there first.

Both virtual and physical penetration tests provide valuable insights into security weaknesses and in doing so, can help a business strengthen its overall cybersecurity posture. Combining both approaches can, of course, create a more comprehensive assessment of a business or organisation’s resilience against cyber threats.

Even though, as highlighted above, pen testing can have its drawbacks, it’s always better to be prepared and, if a business knows more about its weaknesses, it at least has the opportunity to reduce known risks and avoid some of the very painful consequences, e.g. legal, financial, and reputational of data breaches and other potentially devastating attacks.

In this article, we take a look at a few examples of nascent travel and delivery options in action.

Many New And Innovative Options

With so many innovative technologically advanced (and green) transport, travel, and delivery products and systems now being used in the real world, let’s update ourselves on what’s happening and what the near future could soon look like … coming soon to a city near you.

Vertical Take-Off Urban Air Taxi Test Successful 

A full-scale, remote controlled prototype of Bristol-based startup Vertical Aerospace’s vertical take-off VX4 air taxi recently completed its first untethered flight successfully. The aircraft, which is intended for use as a minimal noise and zero operating emissions taxi can transport up to four passengers, over distances of up to 100 miles and achieve a cruising speed of 150 miles per hour.  The VX4 can also be used as a medivac (medical evacuation) or cargo plane. The company says the VX4 air taxi, which is battery-powered and has electric motors mounted on movable nacelles is capable of flying from London’s Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf in just 13 seconds!

Back in May, Vertical Aerospace reported that South Korea’s leading mobility firm Kakao Mobility had pre-ordered up to 50 of the VX4 aircraft. Kakao Mobility runs South Korea’s most popular taxi-hailing app, Kakao T, providing taxi-hailing, designated driver booking, parking space search, and Kakao Navi app. Stephen Fitzpatrick, Vertical’s Founder and CEO, said: “With its over 30 million registered users, Kakao Mobility is the go-to choice to ‘hail a ride’ and with our partnership, we look forward to people across South Korea being able to fly in a VX4 in the years to come.” 

Europe’s First Driverless Robots Take To The Road In Lithuania 

A collaboration between Estonia-based startup Clevon and Lithuanian delivery platform LastMile has seen Europe’s first small fleet of (three) driverless robots take to public roads in Estonia’s capital city of Vilnius. The battery powered delivery robots, known as Autonomous Robot Carriers (ARCs), look a little like a cross between a golf buggy and a tiny truck and are already being used to deliver groceries from the IKI supermarket store on Mindaugas Street to shoppers in the city centre.  The ARCs have different size and lockable compartments for smaller and larger online grocery orders and the fleet can deliver seven customer orders in a single run.  The many benefits of the ARCs include zero CO2 emissions, reducing ‘last-mile’ labour costs by 80-90 per cent, while their small size means they can quickly (and safely) navigate city centre streets – great for historic cities with old-town (i.e. small) street areas.

First Biometric Check-In Tunnel Opens at St Pancras For Eurostar 

The first-ever biometric ‘Smartcheck’ corridor for train travel has opened Eurostar’s London terminal in St Pancras station. The contactless check-in tunnel, developed by UK tech firm iProov, acts as a replacement for ticket gates and manual border checks and uses a facial verification checkpoint, enabling passengers to walk straight through the tunnel rather than queue and wait. The SmartCheck solution behind iProov’s tunnel incorporates iProov’s Biometric Solution Suite with Biometric checkpoint, coupled with Entrust’s Identity Verification as a Service (IDVaaS) technology for identity orchestration and digital travel credential (DTC) management.

Andrew Bud (founder and CEO of iProov) said of the new high-tech tunnel: “The rollout of SmartCheck in Eurostar’s Business Premier check-in at London St Pancras is significant because it clearly demonstrates how facial biometric technology can be used to manage border control in a smarter and more efficient way, to benefit both organisations and passengers at scale. By creating a biometric corridor, we are moving security checks away from the station, saving precious time and space at the border, streamlining the boarding process to one that’s far faster, more convenient, less crowded and stressful, yet even more secure.” 

Popular Dutch e-Bike Maker’s Bankruptcy 

As in any market, it’s not all good news for all the players, even if they have funding and innovative products.

Dutch e-bike startup VanMoof, one of the most heavily funded e-bike startups in the world, has shocked owners by being declared bankrupt after 14 years. A tweet from one of the company’s founders, Taco Carlier, apologised to customers and employees, saying that the company had tried to secure investment and a buy-out from other companies but had failed to do both. The company had been making a loss on its e-bikes for years which some financial commentators have blamed on the high price of the bikes (2,000 euros each) and high costs to maintain and repair bikes while they were under warranty. Due to the need for custom parts and specialised software to operate the bikes, customers now find themselves in uncertain territory and it’s been reported that many customers have threatened to sue.

VanMoof, however, is one of many players in the growing e-bike market which was valued at SD 37.47 billion in 2022 and has been projected to grow from USD 43.32 billion this year to USD 119.72 billion by 2030.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The promised future of driverless, electric vehicles such as the air taxi (soon to be operating in South Korea) and driverless trains in the UK (Thameslink ATO system), as well driverless delivery vehicles is now beginning in earnest. Many startups and more well-known established companies (e.g. Amazon) have trialled drones and driverless systems that have the benefits of zero-emissions (electric, battery powered), beating crowds and congestion while offering the efficiencies of robots and we are now starting to see them being approved and used on public roads and in the airspace above.

There are now exciting opportunities for many businesses in growing new markets related to these vehicles and in using them to add value, cut costs, and improve services in existing industries. Reducing congestion and emissions, while improving customer experiences, and offering them new and exciting and travel options (vertical taxis) and delivery options is definitely on the map. With a climate emergency, a growing population and advances in technology, reliance of fossil fuels (and a legacy of old transport and delivery ideas) is starting to be replaced gradually with a variety of new, greener, and more efficient alternatives that also offer commercial benefits to their operators.

Transport systems are now changing due to investment and large R&D spends and many innovative startups with products years in the making are now finally coming home to roost. The hope is that the changes will pay off environmentally, commercially, plus make travel and delivery more effective and give customers better experiences that match the expectations of this technically advanced future.

Doubtless, all of these concerns will require investment in managing all the data and security!