Awful parking is the worst thing about escooters — TIER has a plan to fix it
Ground-level mapping
Los Angeles-based Fantasmo builds 3D maps of cities by foot, using its camera andsensor-equipped“Explorer” backpack.
The backpack, which has a 3D mapping solution with a six-camera array, LIDAR, and accompanying mobile control app, is worn by operators who walk around cities. The captured data is then processed with Fantasmo’s software into a detailed 3D model of the cities.
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The company has so far mapped over 1,800 kilometers of Parisian streets at ground level using the technology, and claims it is more accurate thansatellite-basedGPS, which is not always reliable in dense urban areas.
Fantasmo Co-Founder Jameson Detweiler said: “We’re excited to be working with TIER because their commitment to great parking compliance is the perfect real-world validation of our CPS technology. By mapping cities at the ground level, as pedestrians, we can help micromobility safely thrive in cities around the world.”
Paris crackdown
Following an influx of escooters in 2018 and a subsequent rise in complaints from locals frustrated with devices congesting public areas and causing an increase in accidents, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo introduced a raft of measures aimed at curbing their improper use, including fines of 135 euros (US$150) for riding on pavements, andbanningthe parking of e-scooters in non-designated zones.
Under current regulations, e-scooters can only be left in parking spaces allocated for cars and motorized two-wheel vehicles.
Mayor Hidalgo also tightened the regulation of e-scooter firms, selecting three ‘official operators’ – TIER, Lime and Dott – in July 2020, after 16 scooter-sharing companies responded to the city’s request for proposals to operate.
Each company was awarded a two-year contract allowing it to deploy 5,000 e-scooters throughout the city, for a total of 15,000 scooters.
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Story byCities Today
Cities Today is the leading news platform on urban mobility and innovation, reaching an international audience of city leaders.Cities Today is the leading news platform on urban mobility and innovation, reaching an international audience of city leaders.
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