The wave of dockless bikes in Singapore may roll past quickly as dockless e-scooters are coming to take over. No one wants to get to work sweaty after cycling, which is an issue these bicycle providers are facing while trying to convince more people to jump on. These dockless bikes are also problematically left anywhere, instead of dedicated bicycle stands where they are meant to be parked.
Enter Neuron Mobility to the rescue, as they’ve got a new idea to not only take these issues away, but greatly reduce the speed of travelling with e-scooters.
To solve the irresponsible parking issue with bicycle-sharing, Neuron Mobility is introducing charging docks, essential to charge the scooters. Unless you want a pretty hefty fine, users will have no choice but to return the scooters at these docks. The rest of Neuron Mobility’s offerings work pretty much the same, with automatic locks, QR codes and refundable deposits, much like its bicycle counterparts.
Another interesting innovation is the docks itself, which are not drilled but held down by weights. They can be knocked over or even be moved with a great amount of strength, but thankfully, this is super-safe Singapore, so for now, things should go according to plan. Its portability also means Neuron Mobility can shift stations around according to trends and usage, which they can receive from their sophisticated data analytics system.
This is what really sets it apart from its bike rivals: it tracks which docks are in use, which areas are booked the most and where in the country their scooters go to. Neuron Mobility can re-station docks to meet demands of hot locations and make it easier for you to get hold of one. In the future, such information can also assist in estimating whether scooters and their batteries can last certain trips, and dissuade you from making them if its unachievable.
We’ll still have to wait a while longer before Neuron Mobility e-scooters hit the streets. They’re now being piloted at Singapore Science Park as part of a six-month trial with 50 scooters, 20 bikes and 6 parking stations. In the 29-hectare park, the availability of speedy scooters should reduce travelling time and reliance of shuttle services quite drastically. It’s even the same price as your average bikes—at 50 cents every 15 minutes.
Scooters are indeed incredibly quick, especially when making short trips around the neighborhood. It’s something Singaporeans can look forward to, but for now, let’s all do our part to keep these bikes safe, to make way for bigger, faster and far more exciting modes of travel.
This story originally appeared on Stuff Singapore, bringing you what’s next in the world of tech and gadgets, with a twist.
