With the rise of shared electric scooters, some cities are seeing hundreds of accidents as commuters adapt to the new mode of transportation. And while most cities don't currently require the use of helmets, wearing protective head gear is one obvious way to reduce injuries.
To help combat scooter accidents, one company is taking a safety-first approach with its app that uses artificial intelligence to automatically tell if you're wearing a helmet.
Chicago-based VeoRide, a scooter company founded in 2017 and one of 10 companies currently operating in Chicago's scooter pilot program, is testing a feature where riders can use their smartphone camera to identify if they're wearing a helmet. VeoRide says users who prove they're wearing a helmet will be rewarded with discounts on future rides.
The company says the tech works "in the moment," and no photos are taken or stored in the app.
"By creatively using advanced deep learning capabilities, our team has been able to break through and pioneer a workable solution to a very complex technical issue," Li Zhou, CTO of VeoRide, said in a statement. "We are eager to contribute to an important shift in safety consciousness by developing this innovation which encourages and incentivizes people to wear helmets when riding e-scooters."
VeoRide is currently testing the feature with a select group of riders and plans to fully roll out the helmet detection tech in 2020.
While VeoRide is currently using this as a way to encourage safe riding, it's possible this technology could be used if cities begin mandating that riders must wear helmets. VeoRide says it is also working on similar detection technology to determine when scooters are being ridden on sidewalks, which is not allowed in many cities.
Unlike most electric scooter brands that require their scooters to be charged after heavy usage, VeoRide uses replaceable batteries, allowing for more seamless charging. VeoRide’s technicians can replace the battery pack on site, allowing the company to have total control over the charging process and not rely on third parties to keep scooters running.
VeoRide says it's the first e-swappable battery on the market.
