A significant pilot project to improve e-scooter safety has begun in Helsinki. The project brings together three major actors: the leading European e-scooter operator TIER-Dott from Germany, the sensor and AI-powered data collection provider See.Sense from the UK, and the French mobility insights and analytics start-up Vianova – to test a new innovative solution. The pilot is coordinated by the City of Helsinki Innovation Company, Forum Virium Helsinki, as part of the European Union funded ELABORATOR project.
The aim of this collaboration is to analyse e-scooter riding patterns to detect dangerous situations, even before they turn into accidents. This would enable the City of Helsinki to target their infrastructure and enforcement interventions. Thanks to the localisation of safety-relevant insights, such as swerving and harsh braking, the project provides an accurate picture of where safety should be improved.
In the pilot, forty Tier-Dott shared e-scooters will be equipped with See.Sense’s AI-powered sensors, which collect real-time data on e-scooter braking, swerving, collisions, and road conditions. Based on the collected data, AI-based risk analysis identifies dangerous locations and risky behavior. Finally, the data is combined with Vianova’s Mobility Data Platform for improved interpretation and analysis alongside other key safety indicators.
The sensors used in the experiment are attached to the e-scooters. Photo: Igor Väisänen / Forum Virium Helsinki
“By using advanced technology, we can help the city gain new information about accidents and near misses, as well as places where risky situations are concentrated,” says Noora Reittu, Senior Project Manager from Forum Virium Helsinki’s ELABORATOR project.
“Partnering altogether with the City of Helsinki allows us to go beyond reactive safety initiatives and to proactively identify risks thanks to real-time data. We are confident that these insights can help cities design more inclusive infrastructure and make micromobility a reliable choice for everyone,” Elina Bürkland, Head of Public Policy Nordics from Dott adds.
“By detecting risks in real time and capturing detailed insights on how infrastructure is experienced by riders, See.Sense technology supports cities in both achieving Vision Zero goals and strengthening the monitoring and evaluation of cycling and micromobility networks,” Irene McAleese, Co-founder & CSO from See.Sense states.
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