Next to achieving profitability, the hardest part about operating a dockless scooter start-up is keeping them charged and out of the middle of sidewalk. But one start-up is using self-driving technology and tele-operation to make the process of managing a free-floating scooter fleet easier.
Go X is an electric scooter company that has licensed technology from automated positioning technology company Tortoise. It retrofitted its scooters with training wheels of sorts and an automated self-righting kickstand that enables them to operate autonomously. These self-driving scooters are now part of a six month pilot program at Curiosity Labs in Peachtree City, Georgia that will real-world test a new mobility service where riders hail scooters that autonomously go to them.
The typical dockless bike or scooter service requires a bit luck finding a free and charged scooter close by. Go X aims to end the scooter hunt. Any visitor or employee on the 500-acre technology campus can download GoX’s app and hail a scooter similar to on-demand ridesharing programs like Uber and Lyft. However, rather than a car, a scooter navigates on its own to your location. At that point, the navigating is up to the rider to get to their destination. But after ride is completed and the scooter parked, it returns on its own to the depot for recharging and complete sanitization to ensure they’re clean and fully-charged for the next person.
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