Whim, Finland's esteemed app that allows riders to choose which mode of transportation is best to use to get to a destination, is finally coming to Singapore by 2018. Developers of the app tout it as the "true alternative to car ownership".
Singapore will pioneer the Whim app in Asia starting next year. Founders of this innovative ride-sharing service at Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) Global on Monday officially introduced the app at the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH).
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Whim has been hyped to be the game-changer in transportation services, as Netflix is to entertainment and Spotify to music. The app is designed to include all available modes of transportation as options when booking a ride, giving the public the best-recommended carrier to charter for a specific destination.
Apart from taxis and buses, Whim developers are expected to include bicycles as an option in Singapore.
Riders have a variety of payment methods to choose. The monthly subscription covers payments for any mode of transportation, while users also have the option to pay per ride.
MaaS Global co-founder Kaj Pyyhtia has emphasised that the company aims to transform cities into car-free zones with Whim.
"What we offer is a true alternative to car ownership because if every mode of transportation is readily and easily available to you, you don't have to buy a car," notes Pyyhtia in his speech.
Pyyhtia adds that Singapore is the ideal country in Asia to kick off the service as it is the centre of technology and business advancements in the region. Furthermore, he hopes that local transport players will be honest with their interface, payment systems and database to avoid hurdles in the integration of the app.
The Whim app is currently available in Helsinki on both Android and iOS devices.
