ScooP: Voi supports conception and piloting of a Germany-wide multi provider platform

To operate a successful shared mobility service, the close dialogue between providers and municipalities is an essential pillar.

In order to foster a better understanding between cities and providers, set industry standards and create blueprints for municipalities in Germany, Voi cooperated with Fraunhofer IAO on a joint project called “ScooP”. 

Read more about how Voi has followed a similar approach in the past in Bern.

Voi provided the researchers with industry insights into common modes of cooperation, agreements and processes, as well as on trip and parking patterns. The results of the joint study will be presented in an online webinar on 16th of March between 14 and 15:30 CET. 

Janika Kutz, Research Associate at Fraunhofer IAO (KODIS) explains: “What cities need is a service ecosystem for shared mobility offerings that covers common challenges and provides solution options for municipalities and providers”. She is involved in the development and evaluation of data-based services and is particularly interested in issues surrounding the topic of technology acceptance.

Janika Kutz, Research Associate at Fraunhofer IAO (KODIS)

As a base for their understanding, researchers evaluated the findings gathered from e-scooter rides taken between August 2020 and Juli 2021 in Berlin, Hamburg, Karlsruhe and Stuttgart. The data was provided by Voi in a formerly unprecedented scope of information exchange with academic researchers. Through this initiative the partners want to motivate and further data driven research angles and build trust between the industry and stakeholders.

Janika Kutz explains: “Both as a scientist and as a city dweller, I have learned one thing in the past year: e-scooters can only develop their potential in our cities if everyone is committed to the sustainable use of the vehicles together”

Find out more about Janika Kutz’ first preliminary assessments in her blog post.

Finally, to get a better understanding of the perception and acceptance towards micro mobility in the general populace, Fraunhofer IAO conducted an open survey between the 4th and 29th of October last year in Heilbronn.

Among respondents that had already used an e-scooter, two thirds favour the current free floating model and see no need for improvements from cities or providers. Criticism of e-scooter sharing mainly relates to parking infrastructure, rider behaviour, technical improvements and the lack of directional signs in some cases. 

The study results also show that half of the respondents combine e-scooters with other modes of transport, underlining once again the complementary relationship between e-scooters and public transport. 

Read more about this topic in our blog about the impact of intermodality on public transport ridership. 

In terms of road safety the findings indicate that there’s further need for safety education and awareness measures: 36% of the respondents reported, that they are not yet familiar with the rules and regulations of micro mobility in Germany.