Spin to Pilot 3-Wheeled Scooter with Teleoperating Capabilities, Boise, Idaho, Spring 2021

In Spring 2021, Spin, an e-scooter operator owned by Ford Mobility, will deploy the S-200, a three-wheeled scooter designed by Segway-Ninebot, in Boise, Idaho. With two front wheels at the front of the scooter to provide stability for a rider, this new scooter is designed with other safety and convenience features in mind. Namely, these scooters can be remotely-operated by Spin staff based in Mexico City through a service called Spin Valet, which serves two purposes:

1. Riders can hail/request scooters to come directly to them if within a certain distance. While a Spin scooter can go up to 15 miles per hour when in use by a customer, it only moves up to 3 miles per hour when in the hailing mode.
2. When parked, Spin staff can reposition the scooter so as to ensure that the scooter is not violating the right of way for pedestrians; this is especially important for older adults and people with disabilities. In addition to improving sidewalk safety, remotely repositioning the scooters can save e-scooter operators costs resulting from citations.

These new scooters are outfitted with cameras and sensors, provided by technology start-up Tortoise, that assist the teleoperators in steering them. Starting with a fleet of 300 S-200 scooters in Boise, Spin intends to bring the scooter to other cities throughout North America and Europe.

If successful, teleoperations for e-scooters can improve relationships between micromobility companies and local governments and improve street and sidewalk safety.

Last updated February 24, 2021