The mobility-services industry is facing scrutiny left and right these days.
On Tuesday, NHTSA ordered a suspension of passenger operations for 16 autonomous shuttles operated by French manufacturer EasyMile in 10 U.S. states, pending an examination of “safety issues related to both vehicle technology and operations.”
That same day, we learned, from a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists, that ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft are increasing carbon emissions and creating more pollution than private car rides and are drawing passengers away from public transportation.
And now, trouble in the world of micromobility: Lyft is under fire because, starting Monday, March 2, it plans to start charging per-minute fees to rent electric bikes in the San Francisco Bay Area. Riders already pay $15 for a monthly membership or $149 annually. For that, they get unlimited 45-minute trips on classic pedal bikes, and until now, e-bikes. But starting Monday, e-bikes will cost an additional 15 cents per minute.
Bay Wheels, the Bay Area bike-rental company operated by Lyft, said in a Friday Medium post that new pricing is going into effect because “e-bikes need charged batteries and can be parked at stations or public bike racks, they cost more to operate than classic bikes.”
Nonmembers will continue to be charged $2 to unlock bikes and ride for 30 minutes, but e-bikes will cost 20 cents per minute on top of that. Per-minute fees are waived if an e-bike is the only option at a station.
In addition to the new per-minute e-bike rates, parking an e-bike at a bike rack instead of docking it at a station will cost $2 for all riders. The only exceptions are if the bike is parked near a station with no empty docks or locked to a bike rack in part of the service area without stations. Docking e-bikes at any station is free.
The company said this fee was implemented with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to encourage better parking behavior and maintain clearer sidewalks.
The public expressed outrage at the new pay-as-you-ride policy in comments on the Medium post and on social media, largely voicing concern over the potential complications with billing.
E-scooters and e-bikes — known for their first- and last-mile convenience — haven’t been profitable, as with several other mobility services. That’s largely why automakers and other companies have been pulling out of the somewhat risky business ventures.
Lyft will have to see whether the public is willing to take a ride with its new prices in the Bay Area.
— Alexa St. John
What you need to know
Groups call for safeguards, federal action following Tesla fatal crashes Groups advocating for consumers, automakers and safer roadways are calling for more federal action to address driver disengagement and distraction while operating a vehicle with partial automation. The calls for action followed a public hearing held Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the probable cause of the March 23, 2018, fatal crash of a Tesla Model X in Mountain View, Calif. The Mountain View crash is the fourth investigation the NTSB has taken up in recent years involving Tesla Inc.’s advanced driver-assistance system known as Autopilot.
Trickery in research highlights AI shortcomings Billions of dollars have been spent in a global race to develop artificial intelligence in recent years and position AI as a powerful technology capable of redefining multiple industries. Might some of those efforts be unraveled by a small piece of black tape? A recent experiment underscored the fragility of nascent artificial intelligence systems. Researchers at McAfee tricked a Tesla equipped with Traffic-Aware Cruise Control into misreading a speed-limit sign and then accelerating to match the erroneous reading. They altered a 35 mph speed-limit sign by elongating the middle part of the “3” with a patch of black tape. The tweak baited Tesla’s computer-vision algorithms into misclassifying the “3′ as an “8.”
Tech aims to detect wrong-way motorists Just more than a year ago, a suspected drunken driver heading the wrong way on Interstate 75 in Kentucky struck a vehicle carrying a family of five from Michigan. The crash killed three children, ages 7, 13 and 14; their parents; and the other driver. Jonathan Stone, head of programs for research and advanced engineering at supplier giant Continental, knew the family that was killed. Taking last year’s tragedy and others like it to heart, Stone embarked on a passion project. He developed a roadside system capable of detecting wrong-way drivers and alerting others on the road of the impending risk.
In the latest issue of Shift We explore the potential of data and artificial intelligence to enhance products and services, whether predicting when your car is about to break down or telling dealers where to channel their marketing dollars. There are also perils, of course. For those stories, click here.
Roundup
Beep Inc. is making noise with self-driving shuttles.
Calif.’s disengagement reports shouldn’t be viewed as a self-driving report card.
Cruise has received a permit to test its self-driving cars on public roads in California while carrying passengers.
Canadian EV startup ElectraMeccanica says it plans to build an assembly plant and technical center in the U.S.
The Polestar Precept concept signals that high-tech, sculpted models are on deck.
Toyota has invested $400 million in Chinese AV startup Pony.ai.
Lucid Motors picked LG Chem as its battery supplier.
Columbus, Ohio, halted a self-driving shuttle pilot program following a sudden stop.
NTSB cites ‘lack of system safeguards’ in Tesla crash.
Panasonic to exit solar production at Tesla’s N.Y. plant as partnership frays.
American Axle ‘paddling like hell’ to support EVs despite low volumes.
VW ID3 software problems threaten summer launch in Europe, report says.
Lordstown Motors could provide electric pickups to Ohio utility.
Ride-hailing increases emissions, contributes to climate pollution, study says.
Michigan creates chief mobility officer, council focused on auto tech industry.
Toyota is seeking new ideas from startup companies that are working on smart cities.
Tragedy evolves into advocacy for AV group founder.
Lyft buys digital car-top advertising startup Halo Cars.
Audi pauses e-tron production at Belgian plant.
Brain food
Automakers, Michigan businesses must watch out for Chinese hacking and theft, writes Matthew Schneider, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Last mile
Spin, the scooter-sharing service owned by Ford Motor Co., is expanding to new markets outside the U.S. The company will launch its first international fleet of electric scooters in Cologne, Germany, as soon as spring, according to a statement.