The year 2025 has been a turning point for the mobility sector. What began as a cautious recovery from global disruption has matured into a phase of rapid transformation. Vehicle rental operators, fleet businesses, OEMs and dealership groups are navigating shifting customer expectations, accelerating technology adoption and growing regulatory pressure.
Operators are no longer merely managing fleets; they are rethinking their role in an ecosystem where convenience, sustainability and digital-first experiences matter just as much as vehicle availability.
As we wrap up the year, five key trends stand out that will influence how businesses plan for 2026 and beyond.
Five Mobility Trends Defining 2025
1. Market Growth and Resilience
The rental and shared mobility markets have shown remarkable resilience in 2025. Recent forecasts from Mordor Intelligence estimate that the global car rental industry will keep growing strongly through the end of the decade, rising from about US$149.87 billion in 2024 to over US$252 billion by 2030.
Similarly, the shared mobility market, which includes ride hailing, car sharing, micromobility, and other flexible transport services, is expected to reach hundreds of billions in value by the early 2030s, supported by sustained double-digit growth, according to Coherent Market Insights.
Why this matters:Â This growth is not simply a rebound from pandemic lows. It reflects a structural shift away from vehicle ownership and towards flexible access models. Operators that can balance fleet availability with flexible terms and seamless digital experiences are best positioned to benefit.
2. The Rise of Shared and Localised Mobility
Urban users are increasingly favoring short-term rentals and car-sharing over traditional long-term rentals. Analysts from Coherent Market Insights estimate the shared mobility sector is growing at a CAGR of about 13%Â or more, with the market forecasted to expand from roughly USD 359 billion in 2025 to over USD 830 billion by 2032.
What’s driving this: Urban lifestyles and a declining preference for car ownership, along with flexible pick-up and drop-off options and subscription-style models, are becoming mainstream.
What operators should do:Â Expanding offerings to include car-sharing, hourly rentals, and subscription options can help capture this local demand.
3. Digital Payments and Flexible Booking
Another clear shift in 2025 has been the adoption of digital-first payment and booking options. Customers expect the same speed and flexibility they get from other digital services. A recent market analysis showed growing uptake of Apple Pay, Klarna and other mobile payment options in car rentals.
Why this matters:Â Rapid booking and transparent pricing build trust in digital channels and operators that lag in these areas risk losing business to more flexible competitors.
4. Autonomous Vehicles Enter the Picture
One of the biggest stories of 2025 has been the expansion of autonomous vehicle (AV) deployments and pilots. Major ride-hailing and AV firms are scaling trials across multiple cities.
For example:
Lyft and May Mobility launched a robotaxi pilot in Atlanta, integrating autonomous minivan services into its app, as reported by Reuters
Uber is partnering with self-driving technology firms like May Mobility to deploy autonomous vehicles in U.S. cities including in Texas.
Globally, robotaxi services are picking up speed across multiple cities and companies, according to Reuters.
Why this matters:Â AVs may not dominate rental fleets yet, but they are shaping customer expectations around mobility convenience and integrated service networks.
5. Pilots and Experiments Redefining Mobility
Beyond autonomous vehicles, 2025 has seen many pilots and experiments redefining mobility. Micromobility options like e-bikes and scooters are expanding in cities, helping reduce congestion and offering flexible travel. Operators are also testing remote-controlled vehicle delivery and new management models focused on convenience. Additionally, the EV rental market is projected to grow strongly as electrification becomes central to fleet strategies, according to Technavio.
These experiments show the mobility sector’s willingness to test new formats that prioritise flexibility, convenience and customer experience.
Key Challenges for Mobility Operators in 2025
While opportunities across the mobility sector continue to grow, 2025 has highlighted several structural challenges that operators must address to scale efficiently. The issue is no longer demand, but managing operational complexity while meeting rising customer expectations.
Balancing Growth with Profitability - Expanding fleets and service models without improving utilisation puts pressure on margins. Labour shortages, skills gaps and fragmented operational workflows further limit scalability and service quality, particularly for operators managing multiple locations.
Legacy Systems and Technology Integration - Many operators still rely on legacy IT systems and manual processes that are not designed for real-time bookings or flexible access models. Unifying bookings, payments, telematics and customer data into a single digital platform remains a major challenge, slowing operations and increasing the risk of errors.
This challenge is particularly acute for OEMs and dealerships expanding into rental, subscription or fleet-based mobility models, where existing retail and DMS systems are not designed for recurring usage, flexible pricing or real-time fleet visibility.
Data Security and Privacy - Greater connectivity brings increased responsibility. Handling telematics, location data and digital payments raises growing concerns around cybersecurity, customer privacy and regulatory compliance, making secure data management a critical requirement.
Fleet Utilisation and Downtime Management - Optimising fleet availability is increasingly complex, especially with mixed ICE and electric fleets. EV charging downtime, uneven infrastructure access and maintenance scheduling issues can quickly reduce utilisation if not actively managed.
Meeting Rising Customer Expectations - Instant digital booking, transparent pricing and flexible cancellations are now baseline expectations. Legacy workflows and manual intervention make it difficult for many operators to deliver the seamless, digital-first experience customers demand.
In short, the defining challenge for mobility operators in 2025 is not finding demand but managing transformation effectively while protecting profitability and service quality.
What These Trends Mean for OperatorsÂ
The clearest lesson from 2025 mobility trends is that adaptability drives success. Rental and fleet businesses must think beyond vehicles and operate as connected, technology-led mobility providers.
Key priorities include:
Building trust through digital payments and transparent pricing
Leading on sustainability by integrating EVs and supporting infrastructure early
Operators that embrace these changes will be better positioned to compete as mobility continues to evolve.
Looking Ahead: 2026 to 2028
Looking forward, several forces will define the next phase of mobility:
Greater platform integration, connecting rentals, charging, parking and payments through APIs
Sustainability as a strategic advantage, with electrification becoming a core operational reality
The rise of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), enabling users to move seamlessly between cars, micromobility and public transport
Between 2026 and 2028, the industry will reward operators that:
Use data and predictive analytics to plan fleet demand
Automate booking, billing and vehicle workflows
Experiment early with new mobility formats and partnerships
Final Word
The groundwork for mobility transformation has been laid. The coming years will define how flexible, digital and sustainable the industry truly becomes.
Looking to prepare your business for what comes next?Â
Discover how Coastr’s car rental software helps operators streamline operations, enhance customer experience and stay aligned with the trends shaping the future of fleet and shared mobility. With intelligent automation and integrated shared mobility software, Coastr empowers businesses to stay agile in a rapidly changing landscape.
