At this year’s IAA Mobility in Munich, the halls were filled with conversations about vehicle software, hardware, and electrification. But there was one topic that seemed noticeably absent: how people will actually access these vehicles.
That’s why we were proud to bring the shift from ownership to usership to the main stage. While others focused on what cars can do, we focused on how customers will get behind the wheel—through subscription, modern leasing, and usage-based services that are profitable, scalable, and customer-centric.
Here’s what we shared, and what we took away, from our time at IAA.
Panel Spotlight: Why Buy? From Ownership to Usage
Our CEO & Co-founder, Hans Kristian Aas, joined an all-star panel alongside:
- Maximilian Wühr (CEO & Co-founder, FINN)
- Florian Schwendner (Director, Hyundai Connected Mobility's MOCEAN Subscription)
- Michael Maicher (Global Partner & Director, Allianz)
- Moderated by Antoinette K. Meehan (PwC)
Together, they tackled one of the industry’s most urgent questions: Why buy a car when you can subscribe to one?
No greenwashing. No fluff. Just hard insights and real numbers:
- “Over 50% of UK consumers would prefer to subscribe rather than own,” shared Meehan, citing PwC's latest research.
- “85% of MOCEAN customers are new to the Hyundai brand,” noted Schwendner—showing subscription's power as a customer acquisition engine.
- Wühr from FINN drove home the importance of viability: “If you don’t get the unit economics right, you can’t offer a great experience or product at scale.”
- Maicher from Allianz emphasized that insurance only works if partnerships and data-sharing are in place.
- And Hans Kristian? He wished for “bureaucracy-crashing superpowers,” because “life is too short for slow projects.” He also shared creative ways to manage residual value and risk, including off-balance financing strategies that enable providers to scale with confidence.
Scenes from the Floor: Casi at IAA
Beyond the panel, Casi was on the ground speaking with partners, exploring new tech, and sharing our vision for modern mobility:
- On stage: Hans Kristian broke down what it takes to scale, insure, and collaborate on profitable leasing and subscription models. One core theme? Partnerships only work when they play to each party’s strengths.
- With our people: We connected face-to-face with the partners and customers who make the work worth doing—and keep pushing the industry forward.
- At the Google AI booth: Hans Kristian discussed the next evolution of the digital customer journey. He shared his vision of a future where discovery, purchase, add-ons, and community all happen seamlessly within intelligent platforms powered by AI. Because if we want to meet customers where they are—that’s where we need to be.
- Behind the scenes: From late-night brainstorms to booth conversations, the energy in Munich was electric. It’s clear the shift to usership is gaining traction across every corner of the industry.
Final Thoughts
Casi came to Munich with a clear goal: to help automotive leaders understand how to make modern mobility services not just work—but work profitably.
And if one thing was clear at IAA: usership isn’t a trend. It’s the future.
Curious how your brand can thrive in the shift from ownership to usership? Reach out to the Casi crew to learn how we help OEMs and fleet owners scale profitable but affordable mobility solutions that customers actually want.
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