Source: cnBeta.COM
Ford's electric scooter company Spin recently proposed a novel solution to solve debris on the sidewalk and shared scooters parked randomly. The company is working with an IoT startup called Drover AI to add cameras, sensor arrays and on-board computers to all scooters in the hope of curbing improper parking and riding by customers.
Spin has established an "exclusive partnership" with Los Angeles-based Drover AI to use the startup's PathPilot technology in Spin's next-generation Insight surveillance platform. By equipping its scooter with cameras and sensors, Spin hopes to better "understand the surroundings in real time and assist riders in making safe riding decisions." At the same time, Spin will also share data generated by new equipment with cities to help them better regulate shared fleets.
Ideally, Spin will be able to track the ride location of its scooter and then share this data with the city so planners can make decisions about traffic jams and the location of bike lanes. Since shared scooters became popular a few years ago, messy sidewalks and some dangerous behaviors of customers have plagued urban development. This has led to cities requiring companies to provide more innovative solutions to control how their vehicles are used in public spaces.
Drover AI's new device is connected under the handlebar. Spin describes "sensor arrays" as "visual, inertial, environmental and positioning sensors" that will be used for "fine position perception". Spin said it can be considered as advanced driving assistance system , just like Tesla's Autopilot.
The company hopes that new technology will gain an advantage in New York City, which is currently accepting applications for a limited number of licenses for the first batch of shared scooter pilots. Competition for new licenses is expected to be intense, with nearly all major scooter companies looking to prove their commitment to safety and law-abiding to the city’s Department of Transportation.
