Beam new e-scooter and tech for Auckland

Micromobility operator Beam is bringing its Saturn 5 e-scooter and new tech such as its “Pedestrian Shield” to Auckland shortly.

About 1200 purple e-scooters to be deployed in an expanded operational area in Auckland from November 4.

Beam says the Saturn 5 rollout for Auckland is the first in the world, the e-scooter featuring upgrades which include road surface detection for better rider and pedestrian safety.

Pedestrian Shield allows the e-scooters to accurately and reliably identify whether the vehicle is traveling on sidewalks, streets or bike lanes, enabling Beam to employ riding restrictions and educate riders on safe riding in and around cities, providing specific in-trip and post-trip feedback.

Beam says its artificial intelligence (AI) Pedestrian Shield technology will be integrated into a number of the Saturn 5s.

The company has also won its third consecutive operational license to operate in Auckland to 2024, following a successful tender process for a new permit led by the Auckland Council.

The permit comes as new research undertaken by Beam reveals e-scooter adoption and use have hit mainstream levels in Auckland, and that for many residents the mode has become a fully integrated part of their transport habits, supporting Auckland Council’s Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway (TERP).

About 79% have ridden a shared e-scooter, with 37% using them at least once a week.

Most frequent riders are 30 to 44-year-olds, and 27% of weekly riders are aged over 45.

Beam’s research also sought to establish usage patterns for residents without easy access to e-scooters as the best indication of how shared e-scooters will be used as they become increasingly widespread.

Research showed that of those who live within five minutes’ walk of a shared e-scooter, 70% of these residents have now ridden a shared e-scooter, with 31% using shared e-scooters at least once a month.

Among Auckland residents who live in the suburbs or outside the city, 66% have used a shared e-scooter, according to the survey in September.

“The extremely high level of adoption amongst Auckland residents who live and work where sharede-scooters are available demonstrates how Auckland is already a leader in shared e-mobility,” says Beam Australia and New Zealand general manager Tom Cooper.

“We look forward to bringing our new Saturn 5 e-scooter to the streets for the first time, featuring AI-backed road surface detection in a huge next step for the future of shared e-scooter technology.”

Cooper says use of shared e-scooters in Auckland is now a mainstream transport choice for significant numbers of people who have access to them, with usage surpassing more traditional active transport options such as cycling.

“It makes Auckland an optimal city for us to be introducing the latest technology, continuing the city’s reputation around the world as a leader in future mobility.”

The Auckland Council selected two existing operators, Beam and Lime, to receive new licences to operate rental micromobility businesses in Auckland.

Seven licence applications were received for a combination of e-scooter and e-bike licences.

“We saw a really exciting range of initiatives offered across the applications, with new innovations in parking technology and pedestrian and rider safety,” says council acting manager licensing and environmental health Veronica Lee-Thompson.

The new licences will be issued to the successful operators to start November 4, 2022.

Rental e-scooter and e-bike codes have been combined into a new Rental Micromobility Code of Practice, to better manage operator compliance, Lee-Thompson adds.

“We’ve incorporated this need into the new Code of Practice and our deployment requirements, and we’re currently exploring further options by undertaking a designated parking trial in and around the Britomart area.”

The current e-scooter allocation in the city centre is 330 per operator with three operators.

From November 4, it will be 450 per operator but with only two operators.  The council says this will allow it to have a closer, more productive relationship with operators and will make for easier improvements to parking and compliance.

The unsuccessful applicant currently licensed to operate in Auckland will be required to deactivate its e-scooters by midnight on Thursday November 3 and have all devices off the streets by Friday November 18.

Visit the council’s micromobility web page for more information.