Swedish e-scooter operator Voi Technology has announced the launch of a new helmet selfie feature that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to determine if a customer is wearing a helmet during a ride and then rewards them for good behaviour.
The helmet selfie is part of a suite of recently released in-app features designed to encourage responsible riding habits and improve rider safety.
It uses an image-classifier AI that can instantaneously detect if a user is wearing a helmet with 95% accuracy. After scanning a scooter to begin their ride, the user will be prompted to take a selfie, which unlocks the scooter.
The user’s photo is then validated during the ride; if the AI confirms that the user is wearing a helmet, the user will get five loyalty points at the end of their ride. Loyalty points enable users to receive discounted rides.
Richard Corbett, Voi general manager of UK and Ireland, said: “We recommend our users to wear helmets as they play a valuable role in rider and e-scooter safety, and the helmet selfie feature fits into our growing lineup of safety tools, including the reaction test and the beginner’s mode, that serve to educate riders about making good when they take a ride.”
The helmet selfie is the latest addition to a lineup of recent product launches targeting rider safety. A reaction test, in which riders tap a random sequence of helmets as they appear on the screen, aims to discourage drunk riding by getting users to think twice about scooting if their cognition is impaired.
The test automatically takes effect at times of the day when people are most likely to ride under the influence. Beginner’s mode, which caps the e-scooter’s speed at 10mph (15km/h), aims to help new users adjust to riding at a slower pace.
As previously reported by CiTTi, Voi is also using AI to verify the identity and age of e-scooter riders in trial areas across the UK.
