Optimizing mobility with eChair: Business model development and market strategy analysis

Abstract

The eChair project that Ford Motor developed is a wheelchair with electric wheels that can be navigated and stored in the trunk of a car lifted by an electric loading arm, automatically. This project was proclaimed as one of the best new concepts for 2017 in Ford Reasearch and Innovation Center. The user's journey consists of the use of the wheelchair to reach the car (phase 1), the process of the user entering the car (phase 2) and the automatic process of the wheelchair that drives itself to the trunk and is lifted and stored by the electric arm (phase 3). Phase 2 is not considered as a part of the project while at the end of phase 3 the trunk closes automatically. The opposite route takes place every time the user parks the car and starts the process of getting the wheelchair next to the driving position. The purpose of this innovation is to increase mobility and provide convenience to the disabled. This concept was highly evaluated by the Ford, internally. *The wheelchair is a product that belongs to the assistive market; it is the market that includes products such as hearing aids, wheelchairs, spectacles and memory aids. According to W.H.O., "assistive products maintain or improve an individual's functioning and independence, thereby promoting their well-being." Ford is already working on adapted cars for disabled and eChair is not their first initiative. Particularly in Spain, the company has developed a few models that are adapted in various ways and this initiative is called Ford Adapta. A significant progress has been made during the five years of Adapta's operations. The initiative contains promotion tours throughout the country in partnership with the dealers, where they bring all the adapted cars allowing people with disabilities to try and order them. People with disabilities do not usually have the chance to just search for any specialized adapting company and this initiative is bridging the gap, bringing benefits to Ford. Adapta is supervised by the Aftersales team in the country and it is a unique team with no similar initiatives in other countries for Ford. * The eChair operates as following; On the wheelchair, a set of electric wheels has been adapted together with a battery kit to help the wheelchair move automatically and to assist the user complementary. The navigation system is responsible to lead the wheelchair to the trunk, back and forward and the electric arm is responsible to uplift and drop the wheelchair out. The concept can be activated by a smart phone and at the same time the navigation system of the car should be connected by Bluetooth with the electric loading arm, to let the complete system operate efficiently. The project, developed internally, is considered tech-feasible. The prototype has been tested from the company and it is proved that operates smoothly. On the other hand, there are a few challenges to be addressed on this report: The desirability of the concept is an objective that needs to be identified and analyzed. This analysis will reveal if there is a gap in the market. In other words, if people would like to purchase and use this solution. Secondly, it will be examined if the concept will be economically viable, meaning that the final version of the product should be specified and the way it will be offered to the market must be beneficial for the company and for the customer. Additionally, the issue of the unit or venture that will launch the product to the market must be identified. At this stage it should be clear if the company proceeds alone, cooperates with manufacturers and/or sellers or delegates the development to another company. If the findings prove to be poor, then there is the possibility of holding the project until the circumstances mature. Not only the demand for this product should be measured, but also the version of the prototype that will be delivered to the market. Taking into consideration the parts of this innovation, there can be four different versions of the concept and a specific one must be chosen for the launch. The four versions can be conducted bellow;Version 1:Wheelchair / electrification kit / loading arm / navigation system. Version 2:Electrification kit / loading arm / navigation system. ersion 3:arm / navigation system Version 4:Navigation system. All the challenges, mentioned above, are faced using appropriate methods and techniques. Firstly, a theoretical approach is developed to put all the existing data into a framework and examine all the potential solutions through theoretical models. Once the business model is developed, all the possible solutions are elaborated on the table. Also, the business model canvas provides specific information about the concept that can be used to underline specific solution paths. At the same time the most challenging and complex questions about the concept are simplified and analyzed to subcomponents, to be easily verified. Moreover, the analysis of the market provides the opportunity to go deep into the various external environments and assemble the framework for the business model that is chosen. The theoretical research proved that there is a lot of competition in the external environment; there are at least 9 major companies in the EU and in the US that develop electric wheelchairs and relative projects. The eChair project seems not to be that interested in partners such as the assistive product makers or other major car manufacturers due to the solutions that they have developed until now. On the other hand, specialized adapting companies find the product interesting and a solution that can sell. After the framework development, a targeted research is applied to penetrate deeper to the stimulus and gather certified data. This research targets the end users and adapting manufacturers and potential partners. For the end users, a questionnaire is built up and sent to the Adapta tour events in Spain. This questionnaire is designed to address the reaction, the usability and the feedback of end users that will visit and experience the prototype, there. This survey also includes information about the market and the existing solutions that are used now and the potential convenience that eChair can offer. Information is also gathered from the professionals and adapting manufactures. This is a crucial information as it is the first time that the concept is presented to key players and specialists and these data can determine whether the concept can be viable or not. Moreover, these people provide useful technical feedback due to their know-how and their strong orientation to similar or identical projects. The data from the partners and the users provided valuable information for the concept. Data such as the features that the wheelchair users prefer in adaptations, the average time required to adapt a car and the increasing demand for assistive products. All these data helped to finalize the business model canvas and provide a descend path to launch the product to the market. Moreover, the challenges and risks could be mitigated since the information captured could assist provide alternative solutions. At the methodology section, all the actions taken are analyzed and the reasons and goals behind them. One of the objectives was to balance the limited information for eChair with online findings and theoretical models and tools that could lead to a conclusion. Finally, at the recommendation, the business model that is proclaimed is a combination of the first two versions; electrification kit / loading arm / navigation system, plus the manual wheelchair for demonstration and purchase purposes. Ford is not advised to launch the product in the market alone but rather to do a partnership. Since eChair is fully patented, the company is encouraged to cooperate with adapting and medical companies in the area. In this way, eChair will gain proximity and visibility since the end user will reach the product easier through the partners. Moreover, the partners will offer knowhow, appropriate test reports and after sales service and warranty, factors that are crucial for the product and Ford will not have to invest on them. With the ability to have the wheelchair as an extra feature for the customers that need the complete package and for demonstration purposes. The market in Belgium is quite attractive for the eChair and Ford can cooperate with the partners proposed in the survey to launch and promote the product. This is action can be an Adapta-like initiative and the partners should possess prototypes that they can promote to customers. Since eChair is a Ford product, the company apart from the financial benefits, will gain visibility and reputation for acting responsibly for the society.