Shared micromobility operator Bolt has introduced a tandem e-scooter riding prevention system that the firm now hopes to get patented.
The technology has been designed to stop e-scooters from being ridden by more than one person at once, with Bolt’s submission accepted by European Patent Office. If the patent is awarded, the system will be valid in 154 countries.
Tandem riding has been a frequent cause of accidents and many cities have introduced regulations prohibiting the behaviour, but they can be difficult to enforce.
Bolt claims to be the first operator to design an in-app functionality aimed at detecting tandem riding and discouraging it.
The system is based on the Bolt 4 scooter’s in-built accelerometer and uses the same hardware to detect sudden changes in mass, which is a clear sign that there are several people on one scooter. In this case, the user receives a push notification on his app.
The tandem riding prevention system is part of a wider safety features package, which also includes a cognitive reaction test and a skid braking prevention system.
The cognitive reaction test is an in-app feature that aims to evaluate if a client is sober and has been rolled out in 14 European cities.
Meanwhile, the skid braking prevention system is designed to detect fast riding or drifting, with the system able to warn riders about their behaviour through an in-app push notification.
“We are more than a micromobility provider,” said Dmitri Pivovarov, Vice President for Rentals at Bolt.
“We want to be partners for cities and communities. This is why we have decided to take on the most pressing safety challenges in the scooter industry: tandem riding, drunk riding and skidding. Being taken under consideration for a patent on our tandem riding prevention system is a clear sign that we are on the right path. It also shows that we are leading our industry’s efforts for making scooters safer.”
