E-scooters with artificial noise to alert pedestrians to be rolled out for the first time
27 June 2023, 08:04 | Updated: 27 June 2023, 08:07
Artificially noisy e-scooters will be trialled on British roads for the first time - as researchers seek to reduce collisions due to the vehicles.
The near-silent vehicles will be fitted with a series of sounds in order to let people know when they are around.
The innovation has been developed by University of Salford researchers in conjunction with the Royal National Institute for Blind People - as campaigners call for greater regulation of the new machines.
Dott scooters will be fitted with devices that will play one of three noises: a continuous noise that fluctuates in volume, a series of repeated notes, and then after these have been trialled a mixture of the two will be trialled.
Dr Antonio Torija Martinez, one of the University of Salford team, said: “These live trials will give us key data in making the final refinements to the sounds we have created specifically for electric scooters.
“We are aiming to make something that can be used industry-wide and really help improve the safety of these scooters. The sound that is best at alerting road users and is also acceptable to the scooter rider will be the one we recommend in our final report.”
Read More: Lawyer slams 'ridiculous' new legislation banning e-scooters on trains
Read More: Private e-scooters could be legalised for roads despite soaring numbers of injuries
Campaigners have called the electric vehicles "silent killers" as they do not make any sound - with 62 pedestrians injured by the scooters in the last 12 months.
11 riders have been killed in the collisions in the same period from June 2022 - with one pedestrian also killed.
Privately-owned e-scooters are illegal to ride in the UK, yet more than one million are still being used on British roads.
Only government-based schemes are legal to ride on the roads, with the trial of the noise-emitting device to be tested on such vehicles.
Dott said it would “evaluate the findings and will work with its vehicle suppliers to add the most appropriate sound into its next generation of e-scooters”.
