I think if you want to change the world you have to think radically differently

Stefan Krause

Stefan Krause has always loved cars. He turned his passion into a career at BMW and became a collector of classic cars. But he has come to loathe driving – especially in urban areas like Los Angeles, where he lives. And after countless hours sitting in LA traffic with lots of time to think, he decided to do something about the problem.

Krause is the co-founder, chairman of the Advisory Board and former CEO of Canoo, a mobility service provider that is working to launch a subscription model for autonomous-ready electric cars.

Krause wants to modernize our mobility system not only by offering electric cars to help cut emissions, but also having these cars be autonomous-ready. This will allow existing roads to carry more cars safely, helping to eliminate the gridlock and accidents caused by human error and unpredictability. These cars won’t be owned by individuals, they’ll be available by subscription with logistics (including insurance) managed by Canoo.

This model makes a lot of sense when you consider that in megacities, automobiles sit parked or gridlocked 90% of the time. Worldwide, including smaller cities and rural areas, cars sit unused, on average, 75% of the time. It also means cars in need of repair can be easily replaced, and that the type of car can be changed as a subscriber’s needs or preferences change –  in a much more flexible way than our current ownership or lease models allow.