Several startups have found a reason to automate scooters and bikes.
According to CNN Business, Tortoise – a company that builds autonomy into scooters – is negotiating to begin tests of its vehicles in an Atlanta suburb.
The end game is being able to send scooters autonomously to pick up their riders.
They might also be able to automatically maneuver to better parking spots, addressing the controversy around scooter-share equipment littering the streets.
But critics say automating means higher costs, more maintenance and shorter lifespans.
Other challenges include safety issues. When driverless scooters deployed in Singapore last year for testing, children reportedly hopped on the slow-moving devices.
Some experts expect autonomous bikes and scooters to be a normal part of urban life in 10 years.
But before this, we could see near term backlash, like fear, vandalism and theft.