The 2 great challenges of micromobility
Shared micromobility has been a trend for a few years and is increasingly in demand.
Let’s see exactly what it is and what challenges providers of this service face.
What is micromobility?
Let’s start with the base. What do we mean when we talk about micromobility?
Micromobility refers to small vehicles for personal use that reach speeds of less than 25 km/h.
They are designed for short distances (less than 5 km), where they can replace less ecological means of transport. The idea behind it is to move quickly and flexibly in urban areas. That is why so many lanes and specific areas are being enabled.
In addition to being a convenient means of travel in urban areas, it is also an easy and convenient means of transport to park. And not only that, some micromobility vehicles, such as the bicycle, are beneficial for the environment, and also for the health and well-being of people, since they help them exercise without realizing it.
Technology makes it easier to share vehicles
While light vehicles are not a new concept, the smart technology behind today’s micromobility is. In fact, this technology has changed the landscape of this type of vehicle.
Micromobility technology makes it possible that, instead of buying a bicycle, we can borrow it for a certain period of time and pay a proportional amount, without worrying about the maintenance of the vehicle.
There are more and more types of shared micromobility, more providers of this service. And the innovations do not stop growing.
Shared mobility options are becoming more extensive and this is only the beginning, since it is a sector that is still settling down and forming (especially in terms of regulation, customer education, market expansion, establishment , etc).
Some common examples of vehicles are electric scooters, Segways, hoveboards, electric bicycles, and scooters.
Challenges of micromobility
Micromobility, and specifically its providers, faces two major challenges:
Fraud and vandalism
It doesn’t matter if we talk about motorcycles, cars, scooters, etc. There is a lot of vandals on the loose and it is common for these types of vehicles, which sleep on the street, to appear damaged or stolen. The fact that they are light and shared vehicles does not mean that they do not have to be taken care of. In fact, you have to take more care of them because they are shared.
Fraud and vandalism shorten the life of vehicles, which is very detrimental to their suppliers, who will have to invest more in maintenance, repairs and renewals.
⚠️ For the common good, we must remember that micromobility providers are companies. If they don’t make a profit from their vehicles, they will end up going out of business.
Need to build trust for both parties
Both the user who hires a vehicle and the provider who makes that vehicle available to others must trust each other.
The user must trust the supplier, its vehicles and its brand (customer service, price, comfort, etc.). After all, getting into a vehicle puts both your own safety and that of society at stake (for example, imagine that a motorcycle is in poor condition and causes an accident).
On the provider side, trust is also crucial. They must find a way to confirm that the user to whom they are lending their vehicles is going to use them for legitimate purposes.
How to stop vandalism in micromobility
We all want to enjoy the advantages of micromobility, but not all of us are civilized citizens who take care of the scooter, bicycle, etc., whether they pay or not.
Shared micromobility vehicles are on the street, with no apparent protection. Hence, they become an easy target for bored vandals and thieves.
Micromobility providers try to address this issue however they can to ensure the life of their vehicles as much as possible. Some companies use cable locks to prevent theft, others ask their users to send a photo of their vehicle once it is parked to prove that it is okay, some lock the devices in case the user does not pay, etc.
These measures do not eliminate vandalism and theft, but they greatly reduce it. On the other hand, they reduce the good experience of legitimate users of the service.
The fastest and most effective way to put an end to this problem is by assigning responsibilities.
To do this, we identify and verify the identity of users. Our digital onboarding platform allows you to control the age of the drivers, and confirm the validity of the driver’s license.
The identity verification we offer will deter malicious users:
- Because they won’t know how to circumvent our system
- Because they will only be able to record their true identity (and obviously they won’t want to face damage liability)
We put ourselves in the shoes of the supplier and help extend the useful life of the assets.
It also offers the possibility to add exclusion lists and deny access to problematic users.
If you have a micromobility business, tell us about your case. We are here to help you.
Shall we talk?