Eyes on the road: Can e-scooters with cameras protect pedestrians and make cities safer?

Electric scooters have disrupted micromobility worldwide, causing injuries and a fair load of resentment among pedestrians.

Operators are now hoping that smart cameras, sensors and artificial intelligence can make their devices more streetwise and more helpful to cities by flagging potholes, dangerous roads and other shortcomings in urban design.

Swedish company Voi Technology and Irish startup Luna Systems have begun integrating computer vision technology so scooters know whether they’re riding on a footpath, a cycle lane or a street. Further down the line, this information could prompt riders to change their behaviour, get off sidewalks and park in the right areas.