Micromobility rentals have witnessed tremendous growth and popularity worldwide, offering people convenient and environmentally friendly transportation options. However, as the number of e-bikes and e-scooters on the road increases, so does the importance of addressing safety concerns. That’s why we have taken a significant step forward in ensuring rider safety by partnering with Flare Aware.
This incident-avoidance network, which connects millions of riders globally, pre-warns drivers when a vulnerable road user, such as an e-bike or e-scooter, is in their blind spot. By tackling the issue of driver awareness, Flare’s software has the potential to significantly reduce the risk of road traffic accidents, which currently rank as the eighth-leading cause of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
Flare Aware will be available to Joyride’s global community of micromobility operators as an app plugin feature. Like other Joyride Plugins, it is an add-on service designed to enhance the rider and operator experience without the need for additional hardware requirements. The Flare Aware integration is purely software-focused, running on the background of Joyride’s customized user-facing rental Rider App.
“For Joyride operators, this added boost for rider safety falls right in line with our mission to offer the safest, most reliable riding experience on the market,” said Vince Cifani, Joyride Founder and CEO. “It also bodes well for future city permit applications. Large micromobility operators are already using this technology, and it will soon become industry standard. Independent operators vying for permits will require this safety advantage in order to stay competitive.”
Improving Driver Awareness
One of the primary reasons for road traffic accidents is a lack of driver awareness, particularly regarding vulnerable road users. The Flare Aware Network aims to tackle this issue head-on by creating a proficient connection between micromobility users and drivers. By joining this network, riders gain access to incident avoidance capabilities that can prevent accidents caused by human error.
Preventing Blind Spot Incidents
One of the standout features of Flare Aware is its capacity to proactively alert drivers when a vulnerable road user, such as an e-bike or e-scooter, enters their blind spot, including the direction from which they are approaching. By offering timely alerts, this mobility safety intelligence empowers drivers to reassess their surroundings and implement necessary precautions. Through proactive management of blind spot incidents, the network effectively minimizes collision risks and cultivates safer road environments for all users. As a result, drivers gain enhanced confidence in their capacity to navigate the roads, benefiting from heightened awareness and improved safety.
Impacts on Insurers, Employers and Autonomous Vehicles
The launch of Flare Aware has profound implications for various stakeholders within the transportation ecosystem. Let’s take a closer look:
- Insurers: Insurance companies can leverage the network’s incident avoidance capabilities to assess risks more accurately. By rewarding safe driving practices, insurers can encourage responsible behavior and offer customized policies to both individual vehicle owners and fleet operators. This technology revolutionizes risk assessment in the context of micromobility, enhancing the overall insurance landscape.
- Employers: Companies with fleet operations can enhance employee safety by integrating Flare Aware into their vehicles. The Joyride integration not only reduces the risk of accidents involving micromobility users, but also demonstrates a commitment to employee welfare and corporate social responsibility. By prioritizing safety, employers can cultivate a positive work environment and protect their workforce.
- Autonomous Vehicles: Flare Aware’s introduction aligns perfectly with the ongoing development of autonomous vehicles. As self-driving technology evolves, the ability to effectively communicate and exchange information with vulnerable road users becomes crucial. By integrating the network into autonomous systems, vehicles can proactively identify and avoid potential collisions, fostering an environment of trust and cooperation on the roads.
Together, Flare Aware and Joyride are at the forefront of improving micromobility safety worldwide, and the partnership upholds Joyride’s commitment to providing shared mobility operators with the safest and most sophisticated tools available. Joyride’s suite of safety features, including vehicle usage tutorials, safe riding gamification tools and instant reporting tools, are designed to maximize the ride experience while minimizing accidents and vehicle damage for fleet operators and users.
James Duffy, Co-founder and CCO of Flare, said, “We are thrilled to welcome the Joyride platform to Flare Aware, alongside other global mobility operators in the network. Through this collaboration, we aim to create a safer and more connected mobility ecosystem, and pre-warn drivers when an e-scooter or e-bike is in a dangerous proximity. Joyride’s inclusion in the Flare Aware network marks another significant step towards our shared vision of a safer world, one journey at a time.”
For more information about this integration and Joyride’s full suite of software features, get in touch with us today here.
