E-scooters in Victoria will be fitted with artificial intelligence cameras to help deter riders from going on the footpath.
Neuron Mobility announced that they will place artificial intelligence (AI) cameras on all of their 1,250 e-scooters in Melbourne in a “world first.”
An e-scooter travelling on the footpath can be detected in less than a second using advanced AI computer vision technology.
Riders who go on the footpath will receive an alert that says, “Footpath riding detected, please ride on the road.”
Pedestrians in the path of a rider would also prompt the system to broadcast the words, “Watch out for pedestrians and slow down.”
“It will also be used to identify and warn riders of pedestrians in their path, and collect valuable data on road surfaces.”
In the future, the company is looking to collect data on uneven road surfaces and potholes to help councils with urban planning.
AI technology may lower the incidence of footpath riding of e-scooters in Melbourne, Neuron Mobility Australia and New Zealand general manager Jayden Bryant explained.
“We are already using the data from our six-month trial to increase our enforcement activity at key times and locations. It has allowed us to be even more targeted with our rider education material, so we can improve behaviour,” he said.
“The ability to provide real-time warnings and alerts at the exact moment a rider decides to enter the footpath can be a significant deterrent.”
E-Scooters Set to Become Permanent in Victoria
In April, the Victorian government extended an e-scooter trial for six months, intending to make them permanent.The Victorian government noted that e-scooters have been embraced by shift workers as a mode of transport for getting home.
Furthermore, the government claims data gathered during the trial shows most e-scooter riders are “doing the right thing,” but more time is needed to “improve compliance.”
The City of Melbourne has been running a trial of e-scooters with the Victorian government since Feb. 1, 2022, with partners Neuron and Lime.
Melbourne Study Investigates E-Scooter Hospital Data
Meanwhile, a study by the Royal Melbourne Hospital, dated April 2024, found that e-scooter usage is associated with a “considerable number of injuries.”A total of 256 e-scooter injuries were presented to Royal Melbourne Hospital during a one-year study period.
The study examined hospital and registry data between January 2022 and January 2023. Out of those injured, there were 247 riders and nine pedestrians.
The majority of these patients were men at 69 percent, and the median age of these patients was 29.5 years of age.
The injuries included impact on the head and upper limbs, abrasions, and fractures. Alcohol use was considered a factor in 34 percent of these injuries, while 33 percent of patients were using a helmet.
The median cost of these injuries was $1,321.66 (US$896) per patient.
The paper concluded that the findings underscore the “urgent need for improved safety measures to minimize electric scooter-related injuries and their clinical and economic repercussions.”
“Electric scooter usage, as observed through patient presentations to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, is associated with a considerable number of injuries, primarily among young males, and an ensuing substantial economic burden.”
