Ario has launched its three-wheeled, self-driving e-scooters in West Auckland, and is aiming for citywide rollout later this year. Video | Michael Craig
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is seeking advice on a possible e-scooter law change to resolve a dispute involving rental operator Ario, disability groups and the NZ Transport Authority / Waka Kotahi.
Rental operator Ario launched its three-wheeled e-scooters in Auckland in July.
A signature feature was the ability forits e-scooters to be remotely piloted.
If a rider left one blocking the footpath in New Lynn, an operator at Ario’s warehouse in the CBD could take remote control of the scooter then, using front and rear cameras and collision-avoidance sensors, re-park it in a safe spot.
Ario said the feature worked well. It had 99.3% parking compliance, well ahead of rivals Beam and Lime. Of 739 Ario scooters that were reparked over its first month of operation, seven were identified by members of the public, with the other 732 identified by Ario’s ParkSmart System and remotely guided to a safe parking area - within an average eight minutes (scooter operators have up to 90 minutes).
What one of Ario's staff sees when they take remote-control of a scooter from the firm's Karangahape Rd warehouse. Front and rear cameras, and 360-degree depth sensors, are used to avoid collisions. AI can over-ride the human operator to avoid an accident.
But things turned to custard the following month, with NZTA saying it had reviewed the legal definition of an e-scooter, which says there should be one or more auxiliary motors.
The agency said that when an Ario was being remotely-controlled, its motor becomes the only source of propulsion - being no longer auxiliary to a human leg that could kick it along. It ordered that Ario’s riderless self-parking had to be disabled, and Ario complied on August 20.
“We support remote piloting as the most effective solution to keep streets unimpeded by non-compliantly parked shared scooters,” said the letter, penned by CCS Disability Action, Disability Leadership Canterbury, and Access for All Otago.
Ario's three-wheeled e-scooters are self-stabilising. Photo / Michael Craig
“Without this function, accessibility for all people is significantly reduced. Non-compliantly parked shared scooters are an issue globally. Ario has taken a proactive approach to avoid this as a world first in New Zealand and should receive support from NZTA for this innovative initiative,” the three advocacy groups said.
Ario NZ general manager Adam Muirson said since shared e-scooters were first introduced to New Zealand streets in 2018 “there has been little activity by the incumbents to innovate, particularly when it comes to parking safety and providing good access”.
Remote reparking technology “addressed a longstanding problem and NZTA’s decision is a move in the wrong direction,” Muirson said.
“NZTA has advised me that they believe the remote operation of these scooters is not compliant with the notice,” Brown told the Herald earlier this week.
“I am seeking further advice on this issue, and whether the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 needs to be changed to enable remote reparking as we need a common-sense solution to this issue,” Brown said.
Chris Keall is an Auckland-based member of the Herald’s business team. He joined the Herald in 2018 and is the technology editor and a senior business writer.
