5 safety features every VOI Scooter user needs to know about as demand grows

Micromobility operator Voi Technology, has seen a growing demand for e-scooters across the 18 cities and towns where the company has trials, with over 2 million rides being taken since the beginning of the trials.

This is in line with the recent report, which revealed the e-scooters have four times higher uptake rate than bike rental schemes.  As more people adopt this green and affordable mode of transport, ensuring safety and accessibility for all continues to be a top priority for Voi.

As lockdown restrictions ease in the UK, Voi will be hosting a series of monthly safety events throughout Spring and Summer in the major cities where it currently has trials, including Northampton, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Bath, Cambridge, Oxford, Portsmouth and Southampton to mention a few.  The events will kick off at the end of May in Birmingham, and they are aimed at beginners as well as more experienced riders.

During the events, participants will receive ride demonstrations and training on how to ride a scooter – including road safety tips developed in partnership with DriveTech – and will be able to redeem credits and a free Voi helmet by completing the online traffic school #RideLikeVoila. The online training takes 15 minutes to complete and teaches riders traffic rules, signs and signals, parking, and general tips on how to use the scooter and ride safely.

Anyone keen on scooting their way around town and wants to attend a safety pop-up can find out more details through the UK events landing page.

Ride safe with Voi: the in-app safety features you didn’t know about

Since Voi’s distinctive coral e-scooters first hit the streets of Liverpool, a key challenge that has emerged is responsible rider behaviour. The micro mobility firm puts safety at the top of its agenda and has recently introduced a line-up of innovative safety features to ensure users travel to their desired destination in a safe manner.

Voi has put these new measures in place to deter e-scooter riders from parking incorrectly as well as encouraging users to act cautiously, taking into consideration pedestrians and other road users. The range of in-app features are part of a wider safety strategy by Voi to make sure the transition to this mode of electric transportation runs smoothly and safely.

Five safety features every Voi rider needs to know:

1.The ‘End Of The Ride’ photo

Voi has introduced an ‘End Of The Ride’ photo feature, where users are required to take and submit a photo of their parked e-scooter. The aim is to discourage improper parking and tackle street clutter. The photo must show the e-scooter parked upright and in an unobtrusive position to pedestrians. Riders who fail to park correctly receive a warning in the first instance, and following that a £25 fine is imposed. Voi has seen a 70% improvement in good parking behaviour since the introduction of this new feature.

2.The ‘Helmet selfie’

Another in-app photo feature launched by Voi is the helmet selfie, which uses an image-classifier AI that is immediately able to detect if a user is wearing a helmet with 95% accuracy. After scanning a scooter to begin their ride, the user will be prompted to take a selfie, which unlocks the scooter. Helmet-wearers are rewarded for their good behaviour and are issued five loyalty points at the end of their ride.

3.The ‘Reaction Test’

To stamp out drunk-riding, Voi has developed an in-app reaction test game, where the user taps helmets on the screen in a random sequence, based on current research that best predicts drunkenness. The test is intended to discourage riders from illegally travelling on an e-scooter whilst under the influence.

Drunk riding is illegal and users can be fined and see points added to their driving licence.

4.The ‘Beginner’s Mode’

Inclusivity is integral to Voi’s mission, and is the thinking behind its ‘Beginner’s Mode’ feature. This in-app feature helps those taking their first e-scooter journey to feel safer by having the ability to control their maximum speed. The scooter’s speed can be reduced to 10mph. Voi’s aim is to create a shared mobility service that everyone can benefit from and feels comfortable and confident in doing so.

5.Parking guidelines

The Voi app shares up-to-date advice on how to park properly. To accommodate all citizens, there are dedicated zones and spots within the city in which riders can park. The Voi app is a go-to guide on where and where not to park your scooter. The guidelines highlight slow-speed zones, incentivised parking spots, mandatory parking spots, no-park zones, no-ride zones and outside the Voi zone to riders. Inappropriate parking leads to accessibility and clutter issues and can be particularly harmful to vulnerable people such as the visually impaired. Voi’s guidelines tackle this challenge head on by laying out the rules and ensuring there is no confusion.

Jack Samler, General Manager at Voi Technology UK and Ireland, said:

“Our number one priority at Voi is to keep our riders and the wider community safe. E-scooter riders, like those riding bicycles or walking, are vulnerable road users so while we campaign for better infrastructure to protect them we also combine tech, education and design to make our service as safe as possible. We are continually looking at how to improve our vehicles, operations and technology to positively encourage responsible riding habits, whilst taking action against instances of misuse. It is an exciting time for urban transportation and we are thrilled that so many citizens are embracing this form of micromobility to travel in a fun, convenient and environmentally-friendly way.”