Bird Can Now Tell When You Skid Its Scooters, And You May Get Banned

Scooter rental company Bird has announced a new update to its platform called Skid Detection, and it is designed to help keep you safe — and catch you when you operate the electric scooters recklessly, assuming that's the case. The company says that it uses its sensor processing and vehicle diagnostics tech to determine when one of its e-scooters has skid across the pavement and whether one particular rider has performed 'an uncharacteristic amount' of them.

Electric scooters are an easy way to get around a city, and they're quite fun, too. However, some have criticized these types of scooters as a potential hazard, and not without reason. A number of people have been seriously injured while riding an e-scooter, the reasons for which may include reckless operation.

In an announcement on Friday, Bird revealed that it has rolled out a Skid Detection system to keep an eye on when its scooters experience an unusual skidding situation. There are multiple potential causes behind this, including tires that need to be replaced or too much braking force. Another possibility? 'Hazardous riding behavior,' according to the company.

When the system determines that an operator has experienced an unusual amount of skidding during their trip, an alert will be sent to Bird for 'quick responsive action.' The company can then send someone to inspect the scooter to make sure it doesn't need maintenance sooner than expected.

If the company determines that the skidding was due to how the scooter was being operated, it says it will send 'a series of rider communications' to the customer that explains the danger of reckless operation. In some cases, the company may end up banning the user from riding their scooters for the sake of other people on the road.