Europe’s main observatory on urban mobility, Eltis, releases write-up on the role of local authorities in planning and managing rapidly growing new mobility services
The case study of Paris explores how action was taken after the swift introduction of free-floating e-scooter fleets and increased personal ownership, including the introduction of a Code of Good Conduct while awaiting a legal framework.
Of key interest is the 18-month period that could be considered a ‘legal vacuum’, in which e-scooters were not subject to the Highway Code, and the National Law on Mobility (LOM) was stalled as it awaited approval by the French government.
Paris’ governing body acted to create a working group for all e-scooter stakeholders, inviting operators of the devices to sign a Code of Good Conduct before the end of May 2019. From here, any new operator of e-scooters in the region was invited to join the group to discuss the use of rental e-scooters in public spaces.
The Code of Good Conduct provided guiding principles and paved the way for good public-private collaboration. Operators were encouraged to work on a deployment strategy that respects other users, with the main aspects of the Code covering:
Parking and riding rules
Operators’ commitments regarding safety and security
Respect for other users, particularly people with disabilities
Relationship with the city authorities
Use of e-scooters in line with sustainability priorities of the city.
Stress was placed on the need to ensure pedestrian comfort and safety while awaiting national legislation. Paris is a leading example of local governance and public-private cooperation. Other similar cities are increasingly deciding to be in the driver’s seat when it comes to managing the offer and operations of new mobility services.
In a landscape where cities are experiencing a transport transformation in many forms, a well-regulated and integrated urban mobility policy will ensure a smooth transition that is a success for all users of public space and road systems.
Using Paris as a case study, transport planners may observe both successes and challenges in adapting to unfolding technological advances. Read the full Eltis write-up, which includes additional context, results, transferability, and opportunities for development, here.
Comments Off on Thor AVAS conducts comprehensive electric vehicle traffic safety study on ‘acoustic visibility’
The problems of acoustic ecology in the human environment are studied by many researchers around the world, especially the contributions to city noise made by cars. In recent years, more and more electric vehicles that are much quieter have appeared on city streets. Cars and motorcycles are traditionally powered by the rather noisy operation of an internal combustion engine. Electric transport, on the other hand, runs on electric motors powered by noiseless energy sources (batteries, fuel cells, capacitors, etc.). As a result, the electric car creates noise only due to the contact of the tires with the asphalt and due to the turbulent air currents on the car body. All this makes the movement of electric vehicles less noisy and, at low speeds, almost silent. Therefore, electric vehicles are classified by UN Regulation No. 138 as silent vehicles. With the undoubted benefit of this circumstance for the acoustic ecology of the city, there is also a quiet threat to humans – a pedestrian may simply not hear the approach of an electric car. It is for this reason that the legislation of many countries of the world obliges electric vehicles to be equipped with special sound devices – AVAS systems that increase the acoustic visibility of electric vehicles.
Contribute to the latest Thor AVAS survey on pedestrian safety, here.
In recent years, a wide variety of micromobile vehicles have also begun to appear on the roads in large volumes. And, more importantly, on the sidewalks of cities – scooters, gyro scooters, unicycles, segways and everything that, despite its harmless appearance, can sneak up unnoticed (at a speed of up to 30 km/h) to an unsuspecting pedestrian. While the issue of ensuring the safe movement of microtransport vehicles causes great discussion, no country in the world has resolved this in law.
Thor AVAS, together with the Research Institute of Building Physics, is conducting a large scientific study of the safety of electric transport. Their work studies how different vehicles are acoustically visible (heard) to a pedestrian and how it is possible to increase their visibility without causing ecological damage to the acoustic environment.
In-laboratory work takes place in a unique acoustic measuring complex – a large acoustic anechoic chamber. This is a room in which there is absolutely no echo due to the walls and ceiling being covered in a layer of a special sound-absorbing structure more than 1 meter thick.
The room used by Thor AVAS is the largest anechoic chamber in Europe and one of the largest chambers in the world – the floor area exceeds 120 square meters. It is also very quiet in this chamber – so quiet that it is a unique auditory experience, with the background noise level in the chamber only reaching 18 dBA.
During testing, many loudspeakers are placed in a circle around the cell. Together they make up the radiating part of the laboratory setup. Six speakers imitate the noise of the environment, reproducing, for example, the sounds of a city courtyard or a city park, in 5.1 stereo, comparable to a movie theater. Another three-way speaker system simulates the noise of an approaching electric vehicle’s tires.
The approach of a car is simulated at a speed range between 10 and 50 km/h. Imitation occurs by increasing tire volume according to auditory laws. When the distance between the car and the pedestrian decreases, the sound pressure level increases by 6 dB.
Finally, consider the last loudspeaker is the AVAS system, the principle which is the subject of the study. By playing different sounds through the AVAS system, traffic safety conditions can be significantly improved.
The essence of the experiment is to determine how long it takes a pedestrian to hear a car approaching them. Participants of the experiment are given registration panels and the experiment begins. At first, participants in the experiment hear only the sounds of the environment, the park or the yard, because the simulated car is still “far away”. At the moment when participants hear the approaching car, they press the registration button on their remotes. By this pressing, it can be determine how long it took for the pedestrian to register the approaching car, i.e. how much time the pedestrian has to react to the approach and decide on further actions. For example, an electric car without an AVAS system is heard when impact time is between 3-5 seconds, depending on the vehicle’s speed. In such a short time, the pedestrian will not have time to react to the approach of the vehicle and a collision may occur.
When driving an electric vehicle with the AVAS system turned on, it is possible to significantly increase the time for acoustic detection of an approaching car by a pedestrian. The most effective method is to turn the system up to high volume. Very loud and unpleasant sounds can be played through the AVAS system (or alternatively, turn on loud music) and the residents of the next few blocks will know in advance about the approach of the car, which, of course, will have nothing to do with traffic safety. The correct sound of AVAS should ensure the safe movement of an electric vehicle and sound at such a volume that it will not exceed the established rules and sanitary standards for a residential area. However, sounds of the same loudness can have varying visibility. By changing the timbre of the sound, its frequency range, and introducing volume modulations and discrete components at certain frequencies, it is possible to significantly increase a vehicle’s visibility without increasing the volume.
The Thor AVAS study aims to find the best ways to control the visibility of an electric vehicle using the AVAS system. The goal is to create such sounds for the AVAS system which, on the one hand, will not be unpleasant, excessively loud, and attract unnecessary attention, and, on the other hand, provide optimal and speed-independent visibility.
The Road Safety Investigation Branch (RSIB) has been established to provide insight into incidents occurring on the UK’s roads
A specialized team of inspectors will aid in making the streets safer while advising on how new technologies can be implemented across the road system.
The RSIB will monitor all electric and self-driving vehicles, as well as the safety trends of e-scooters. From here, UK ministers and police will obtain independent safety recommendations that may influence the future of road safety policy.
Roads minister Baroness Vere shared, “The UK may have some of the safest roads in the world, but tragedies still happen and any injury or death on our road network is one too many. That’s why we’re establishing the road safety investigation branch, so we can boost safety for road-users even further and also bring safety measures in line with other modes of transport and the future of travel.”
Until now, the UK road network has lacked such an independent body; air, rail, and maritime networks all have long had established investigative branches. The Department for Transport plans to include the launch of the RSIB in the upcoming Transport Bill, which will also create a new vehicle category for electric scooters, paving the way for the legalization of private-use e-scooters on public roads.
The UK Government’s plans for updated e-scooter legislation won’t automatically apply in Northern Ireland, according to a report.
Earlier this month, the Government announced plans for a new low-speed, low-emission vehicle category, allowing the use of private-use e-scooters on public roads.
The Government mentioned that the update would form part of the upcoming Parliamentary session on the Transport Bill, but a report from news outlet Belfast Live suggests that the update to the law in Great Britain would not automatically be adopted in Northern Ireland.
A spokesperson for the Department for Infrastructure told Belfast Live that the NI Minister for Infrastructure would be responsible for any decision on the use of e-scooters, remarking, “It is currently illegal to use electric scooters on public roads and public spaces in the North. Any decision on the potential use of e-scooters here is a matter for the Minister for Infrastructure.”
“The proposed change in regulations in England does not apply to Northern Ireland, however, DfI officials are currently monitoring developments there and, following review, will provide advice to the Minister on the way forward.”
Following the Government announcement on e-scooter legislation, Belfast Live also reported that police in Northern Ireland planned to step up their response to the illegal use of e-scooters, currently banned from the roads unless the rider has a license, tax, and insurance.
The popularity of e-scooters continues to grow, with shared schemes being hailed as a success across the country.
The Government plans to use safety data collected from the shared transport schemes to inform its legislation update, including details like maximum speed, battery power, and regulations on lights.
Comments Off on Bird brings e-scooter service to festival city of Indio, CA
Bird scooters have officially launched in Indio, California.
The exclusive pilot means that a fleet of industry-leading Bird Three scooters will help serve not only the sustainable mobility needs of the city’s nearly 100,000 residents, but of the more than one million visitors who flock to the City of Festivals every year for events such as Coachella and Stagecoach, both just having successfully taken place after the launch.
“We are excited to welcome Bird to the City of Indio,” said Mayor Waymond Fermon. “Whether going to the Farmers Market downtown, seeing some of the city’s new sculptures, commuting to work or school, residents and visitors now have another fun, eco-friendly way to get around.”
Riders will be able to travel throughout Indio as well as the neighboring city of Coachella, helping reduce reliance on personal cars for short distance transportation while also potentially driving significant consumer spending at local businesses.
Of course, like any new system of transportation, it helps to know the rules before you ride. To make this easier, Bird have put together a quick guide to their exclusive scooter pilot in Indio in their blog.
From 1 April new guidance will come into effect across the UK for shared micromobility trials, ensuring safety and best practice is at the forefront of the scheme.
Each e-scooter in UK-wide micromobility trials will be required to display a manufacturer label with a unique identification number; these should be clearly visible on either the steering column, side, or rear of each vehicle. A variety of reasoning is given for this updated guidance, primarily easier identification of individual riders by both the police and the public. In the UK public usage of a privately owned e-scooter is illegal, identification numbers will aid in differentiating vehicles that are not part of micromobility trials.
Outside of unique identification numbers, a range of additional recommendations have been released focusing on safety for both riders and the public. Recommendations include a lower speed limit for new riders, good-parking incentives, safety events, and technological improvements. The full release can be viewed here.
Following the extended trial period, evaluation of the scheme’s success will inform the future of micromobility services in the UK.
The latest European Shared Mobility Index has been released, providing market-by-market fleet breakdowns, ridership & per capita trip data, modal snapshots, industry highlights, and more.
Alongside the year in review, full reports are available for each quarter of 2021, tracking the shared mobility boom across 100 European cities.
The report is compiled by fluctuo Mobility Intelligence, one of Europe’s leading aggregators of data on shared mobility services (bikes, scooters, mopeds, cars). They combine data collection methods, algorithms, and a team of mobility experts to produce exhaustive, accurate data. This includes daily data on more than 200 shared mobility services in 100 European cities.
Segway-Ninebot continues to lead the way in the electric KickScooter market. Responding to ever-changing consumer needs, it is extending its already extensive portfolio. Introducing smarter features, wider ranges, sleeker design and a whole scope of new technologies that haven’t yet been seen in Segway-Ninebot products, it continues its dominant advantage in this area. The launch includes the exciting new Ninebot KickScooter D series, a sequel to the ZING series and two premium Segway KickScooter lines: the P series and GT series.
The all-new Ninebot KickScooter D series for economical commuting
The new Ninebot D series has three models tailor-made for differing customer needs. The D18E, D28E and D38E, in which the number refers to the range of each model and differs by the power, climbing ability, battery capacity and charging time. The Ninebot D series are the most affordable adult KickScooter from Segway-Ninebot up to now! In the same colour scheme as the Ninebot D series, fresh red and black, we also have a kid version: the Ninebot ZING C15E, a new electric KickScooter, especially for youngsters.
The Segway KickScooter P65 is the new standard for commuting. It has a range of up to 65 kilometres and specially designed 10.5-inch SegPower CrossSeason Tyres, which means anti-slip and better grip, whatever the weather conditions are. Also, two kinds of braking systems, a disc brake on the front wheel and an electronic brake on the rear wheel, and rear-wheel drive for an even better driving experience. It also includes a whole bunch of smart features. Like the NFC technology, which among other things, allows you to lock/unlock your KickScooter with your smartphone, as well as a built-in power supply to ensure that your smartphone is always fully charged. Models in some countries also include built-in front and rear indicators for even safer commuting.
Segway KickScooter P100S: commuting to the max!
The Segway KickScooter P100S has an impressive range of up to 100 km with one single charge. It also boasts 10.5-inch anti-slip and self-healing SegPower CrossSeason Tyres thanks to the jelly layer inside the tyres, decreasing the risk of puncture. In addition, the front and rear dual-arm suspension, as well as three braking systems (front-wheel: disc/rear wheel: disc and electronic), will give consumers a smoother and safer ride. All of the smart features like NFC technology, built-in indicators and much more combine to create a superior ride experience. Both P65 and P100S have upgraded designs with higher stem, wider handlebars, and larger footboards, bringing a safer and ultimate riding experience.
Segway GT Series: Super premium, super high tech, super comfort
The Segway KickScooter GT1E takes kick scooter riding to the next level. In some countries, it is a street-legal all terrains model, with a top speed of 25 km/h and a range of 70 km. Along with a payload of 150 kg and rear-wheel drive for a superior experience. On top of all that: a pair of front/rear hydraulic disc brakes plus 15-levels damper adjustable suspension, give you a comfortable riding experience. Also GT1 in use of 11-inch large tubeless pneumatic self-healing tyres, dramatically reducing the risk of punctures. It also features built-in indicators and a 9 W headlight. Last but not least, unique to the GT1E, it uses a cool full-colour LED dashboard.
Segway KickScooter GT2: the ultimate KickScooter crossover
Quite simply, the Segway KickScooter GT2 is the most powerful and advanced KickScooter ever launched, with a range of up to 90 km. It’s the best all-terrain KickScooter thanks to its double-wishbone structure, and front/rear 15-levels damper adjustable suspension. Dual motors allow for more athletic handling, a surge of power and adrenaline. More excitingly, the GT2 engineered a unique BOOST MODE, Zero to 48 km/h in 4 seconds and a top speed of 70 km/h for use on private tracks. Finally, it offers built-in indicators, and the world’s first transparent PM OLED dashboard on a KickScooter, which means that your vision can still on the ground through the screen.
A new special accessory to complete your KickScooter
On top of that, we are introducing a very special indicator accessory with a wireless unique design to increase your safety on the road. The indicators can be placed on both the front and rear of the KickScooter and are compatible with most of the Segway-Ninebot range of KickScooters available on the market. Perfect for additional traffic safety when using a KickScooter on public roads where allowed.
Coming soon: a new kind of eScooter…
Segway-Ninebot offers four kinds of smart eScooters and eMopeds in the L1e category in a few European countries with great success since March 2021. We will be starting sales in more European countries within the first half of 2022 as part of our ambitious European expansion plan. In addition, we will be launching a new model in the L3e category in the second half of this year, with even more smart features, providing a user experience second to none. For further information, stay tuned!
Important dates in the Segway-Ninebot calendar
In Q2, the Ninebot KickScooter D series will be available for pre-order on the webshop as early as March in selected countries, with an in-store release early in the quarter. Q2 will also see the release of our first GT model, the Segway KickScooter GT1E. The P65 and GT2 will subsequently be released in early Q3, with the final P100S model being released in Q4.
Product specifications, prices and retail availability of the products in the European market may differ slightly by country.
About Segway-Ninebot
With the mission of “simplifying the movement of people and things, making life more convenient and interesting”, the global tech company Segway-Ninebot has been deeply involved in the field of service robots and intelligent short-term transportation. With world-renowned intellectual property, Segway-Ninebot continuously develops and improves its products in order to respond to new micro-mobility solutions in big cities around the globe. For more information, please visit www.segway.com
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