Ola sets up think tank to develop mobility-focussed knowledge framework

Ride hailing app Ola today said it has set up an Ola Mobility Institute, which will focus on research around mobility innovation being sustainable, safe and integrated with existing infrastructure.

The specialised think tank has been set up to develop knowledge framework around mobility as a service, its impact on climate, for skill development and job creation, transportation-oriented urban planning, and the digitisation of mobility, Ola said in a statement.

The unit will include an initial team of strategic thinkers, researchers, academics, and policy specialists, it added.

"The ongoing revolution in this (mobility) sector promises to improve the lives of citizens, create significant employment and livelihood opportunities, and dramatically reduce congestion and pollution in cities... Ola Mobility Institute will work to ensure innovations continue to have a positive impact," Ola Senior Vice President Strategic Initiatives Anand Shah said.

The institute, which will be spearheaded by Shah, is also recruiting a global advisory board and will add a dozen mobility experts to its team over the next year.

The unit will publish a report on this research in October, the company said in a statement.