How to win at e-ride-share
Micromobility is on the rise. Cities and individuals, where permitted, are embracing the convenience and environmental friendliness of micromobilty using light electric vehicles (LEVs). More e-kickscooters, e-bikes and variants on the theme are being developed to bring electrical assistance to riders.
City-based e-ride-sharing programs are the biggest market for these emerging personal mobility vehicles. This recent McKinsey report reveals regulation in the most populous 100 cities in the world fall into one of four archetypes, where access to shared e-kickscooters ranges from an outright ban to complete freedom for operators and users.
Many major cities around the world rely on private companies to operate ride-share programs based on electric mobility. A percentage of cities embracing the new mobility model regulate the market through permits. In tender-regulated cities the number of suppliers and vehicles is limited. In an open but regulated city, there are no limits on suppliers or vehicles, but the suppliers are subject to other restrictions, such as the age of the rider and permitted areas of use.
Continued acquisition and consolidation of micromobility suppliers means the landscape is constantly changing. The technology they offer is also developing at a faster rate than seen in other transport sectors.
Multiple suppliers in a single market give consumers greater choice. Within a city, a shared e-ride program with multiple suppliers gives consumers better access to vehicles. Restricting supplier access to the market, coupled with greater consumer choice creates healthy competition between suppliers to deliver the most preferred option.
Annual e-mobility market growth rate predictions range between 10% and 20% over the next decade. Competition between suppliers to capture that market is also set to increase. There are few technical restrictions on the features these vehicles could offer. With no obligation to only use automotive-qualified components, OEMs behind LEVs have access to the latest technologies to enhance the customer experience.
ADAS in e-bikes
Advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS, offer vehicle drivers features that make driving safer and less stressful. The same technology is now being added to LEVs. Skinny Labs Inc., which goes to market under the name Spin, was recently acquired by Bird Global, Inc., another micromobility leader. Spin offers several e-scooter models with ADAS features, enabled by its technology partner, Drover AI.
Drover’s patented PathPilot technology uses artificial intelligence, backed up by GPS and cellular connectivity, to infer its position. This enables the rider to remain safely within permitted zones such as bike lanes, streets and sidewalks. The data this produces is also presented to fleet operators through a dashboard using Corral, another Drover product.
With most e-ride-share companies using a smartphone app as the main interface, Bluetooth is a common feature in micromobility. Location tracking through GPS is another. Cellular connectivity will typically provide the backhaul to the cloud application managing the fleet. What other features can we expect to see in the future? One technology being trialed is AI-enabled computer vision.
Computer vision specialist Luna Systems is working with micromobility operators to deploy its AI-based system, which it calls Advanced Rider Assistance System (ARAS). The technology uses computer vision to detect where and how the LEV is being ridden. The focus here is on rider and pedestrian safety. ARAS provides in-ride and post-ride analysis of the rider’s actions. Luna is reported to be working with Qualcomm to deploy its ARAS software on the QWM2290 and QWS2290 platforms.
Superpedestrian, a spin-out of the MIT Senseable City Lab, spent eight years developing its core technology, Vehicle Intelligence. This home-grown operating system monitors the LEV’s internal systems as well as the rider’s actions. It uses the information it gathers to enforce geofencing. Geofencing, which creates an artificial boundary in a physical space, can be used to restrict the vehicle’s speed when it is used in restricted areas.
Micromobility and safety
Many of the rider-assist systems being developed and deployed focus on safety. Other safety features that are being integrated into LEVs include turn signals. Although not mandatory, turn signals, which may be accompanied by audible alerts, can help riders and pedestrians access shared spaces more safely.
Turn signals can be entirely manual and many in use today are. They could also be enabled using sensors that detect the speed and inclination of the LEV. For example, an inclinometer could provide the input to a microcontroller running a machine-learning algorithm to detect when a turn has been completed, or if the LEV is slowing down faster than expected.
In May 2023 Bird, Lime, Spin and Superpedestrian announced an initiative to help support the markets for LEVs in North American cities. During the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) conference in Denver last year, the group revealed 10 recommendations to help North American cities integrate ride-share programs. These approximate to:
- 1,000 LEVs per operator
- One LEV per every 500 people in the city
- Minimum contract periods of two years
- Transparency around fees paid by operators
- Sharing of data
- A competitive operator selection process
- High levels of availability and operating hours
- Better planning for scooter parking
- Speed restrictions where appropriate
- Non-mandatory but encouraged use of safety equipment, such as helmets
Access the slides from the Better Bike Share Partnership Shared Micromobility Roundtable, which took place during the conference, here.
High-performance motor control
Efficiency and range are related parameters for LEVs. Selecting the right technology can have a big impact on consumer acceptance. Although the battery in an e-scooter is relatively large compared to the vehicle, it is still important to deliver the best energy efficiency to maximize range on a single charge.
Using microcontrollers designed for motor control helps in this respect. With leading supplier partners offering the latest solutions, Avnet’s engineers are ready to help OEMs make the right choice during their product development phase.
Design Hub is a good place to start. With a growing number of reference designs for automotive and transportation applications, Design Hub can provide a kickstart to e-kickscooter development. For example, this reference design is for e-scooter motor control.
Reference design for an e-scooter motor control solution
The future of ride-sharing
As city populations grow, the need for better mobility around traffic jams is undeniable. The 15-minute city vision held by some would allow anyone to reach their destination within a city in 15 minutes or less by walking or using micromobility. Reducing carbon emissions and improving quality of life are good reasons why this vision has support.
Modern cities with large suburban areas would find it difficult to achieve this vision without the use of micromobility programs. That looks set to happen. With new features, many focused on rider and pedestrian safety, the technology in this tiny transport system will continue to evolve at a rapid pace.
