A New Age of Contactless Habits
by Rachel Hammermueller, Content Writer
It would be naive to think that in the time following the COVID-19 pandemic, life will instantly revert back to normal. One thing I failed to consider until this week is how this isolating way of life will create habits people will carry into their futures. I had a conversation with a friend the other day about how children at an impressionable age right now may carry tendencies of social distancing and disinfecting practices into their future. Case and point, I have an Oma who has bought in bulk her entire life because she lived through World War II, and she knows what heavy rationing feels like. I’m sure we can say the same for people who lived during The Great Depression. Habits are human nature. In 2020, we’re living in the digital age. Our blog on the way tech is adapting to this crisis to better connect people points to a future of not only innovative tech, but tech that will serve these new habits for possibly decades to come.
An example that is familiar to all of us at TribalScale is the concept behind Dashero. A bit of background, Dashero is an AI-driven e-commerce platform that allows consumers to purchase goods directly from the dashboard of their vehicle for curb-side pickup. The platform encompasses leading Automotive OEMs, payments and location providers, and store inventory management systems. TribalScale created Dashero and won first prize at the 2018 Code Automobility LA Hackathon at the Los Angeles Auto Show. We officially launched the platform at CES 2019. The concept of Dashero is directly relevant to the age of COVID-19. Curb-side pickup is a safe, easy, social-distancing-compliant action to pick up goods. My Twitter is consistently flooded with reports of grocery shortages lately, safety concerns while picking up groceries, and delivery backlogs due to demand. Adaptable tech like in-car ordering platforms eliminates such problems.
Dashero is the first platform integrated directly into the head unit of a vehicle, allowing for voice-driven input and payment. It’s healthy to stay positive, but it’s likely that once life does revert back to normalcy, it may be a gradual climb to return to where society was before. People may adopt a larger personal space bubble as they head back to work. The millions of people who grab a coffee on their commute may prefer to order it through apps similar to Dashero, for a seamless experience that helps them keep a comfortable distance. In response to these new habits, food-ordering apps like UberEats and Foodora allow consumers to request that the delivery worker leave your order on the steps outside, or in the lobby, or ring the doorbell and step back.
Another example is in-car Voice capabilities. One example SiriusXM is integrating is the ability to pay for parking and fuel from inside your car using their app. Gas pumps and parking metres are another thing people will want to avoid. The use of Voice features means less touch contact with screens and buttons, and less disinfecting required. Realistically, if you’re going out and driving, you’re probably coming in contact with places with high germ counts. No one wants to Lysol their steering wheel every ten minutes, and out of habit we may want to do this after stepping inside a grocery store post-2020. Every day, tech is adapting to what our lives look like in this moment. As my colleague Ailsa wrote in the above linked blog, these features will remain well past this current crisis.
When it came to Dashero, there were multiple goals during development. It’s pick-up concept would help eliminate congestion in major cities — another definite plus in the age of pandemic. It would reduce the need to find a parking spot, and allow for store workers to deliver food or groceries to your vehicle directly. Although built pre-pandemic, these needs are relevant today and point to a future with a booming market of contactless consumerism. Whether that be through the utilization of Voice technology, or in-car applications to safely gather goods without gathering germs, the trend is gaining momentum. It’s an interesting age to live in, the digital one, and the path we’re moving down as contributors in this growing industry and habitual creatures, will write the story for how we integrate technology into our lives far beyond the roaring 2020s.
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Rachel is the Content Writer here at TribalScale. She works to write alluring content that reflects the focus, goals, and values of our workplace. When she’s not writing about tech or culture, she often has her nose in a book or is re-watching British TV shows.
TribalScale is a global innovation firm that helps enterprises adapt and thrive in the digital era. We transform teams and processes, build best-in-class digital products, and create disruptive startups. Learn more about us on our website. Connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook!
