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| Spin tests the remote controlled electric scooter |
Ford's scooter maker Spin is testing a new remote-controlled electric scooter.
The new Segway T60 scooter differs from the regular Spin with a third wheel up front.
Scooters are also equipped with other sensors and technologies provided by a startup called Tortoise. This company tested how remote control makes it easy to manage a shared fleet of electric scooters.
Starting this spring, Spin plans to test 250 long-distance scooters in Boise, Idaho before expanding the test to other markets.
The turtle program, which utilizes the front and rear cameras built into the scooter, allows remote operators to move the scooter when they obstruct the sidewalk or traffic.
"The potential of the long-range electric scooters has been widely announced, but this partnership marks a turning point in the operational plan set for transporting them through the city streets," said Ben Bear, Commercial Director of Spin.
Not only does this provide consumers with the reliability and increasing demands on city streets, but it can also greatly improve the economics of the device.
It also reduces operating expenses for fleet maintenance and transportation while reducing the mileage to restore vehicle balance.
The current experiment aims to solve the problems that have plagued the shared scooter industry since its inception.
Currently, scooters are assembled every night by independent teams of freight and budget companies who pay their salaries based on the number of scooters they can collect each night.
Scooter damage and rampant theft shorten its life, pose a major challenge to logistics personnel and can pose a risk to the self-employed.
It is difficult for riders to follow available scooters when they need them because scooters can block the sidewalk and block the path for wheelchair users and other pedestrians with obstructions.
While the city complained that the company did not put enough scooters into low-income and minority communities to ensure equitable distribution, the scooters were only distributed in a few locations rather than evenly distributed throughout the city.
The Segway T60 should be more stable and designed specifically for this type of application. Spin noted that the Segway T60 has an improved suspension, three independent braking systems and turn signals.
After riding, the turtle remote control will reposition the scooter into the correct position. If the scooter blocks a sidewalk, a pedestrian crossing, or an accessible space for people with special needs, their position will be changed.
Spin announced later that year that it would have an in-app scooter reminder service that would allow customers to book electric scooters in real time.