Lime rolling out AI ‘vision’ system to steer Seattle scooter riders back into bike lanes

If you’re tired of people zipping by you on Lime scooters on the sidewalk, the company said it’s bringing a new AI-powered enforcement system to Seattle.

Riders are supposed to use the street, not the sidewalks. But the rule is widely ignored.

Lime will introduce Lime Vision to Seattle later this year, using onboard cameras and artificial intelligence to tell when a rider is on the sidewalk and send an alert directing them to move off it, GeekWire reported.

The system includes a front-mounted camera along with an audible alert from the scooter that detects a sidewalk violation, warning riders to move to a bike lane or surface street.

The company said Lime Vision will be installed on roughly half of Seattle’s scooter fleet — about 3,500 vehicles — by June 1, with the rest added by year’s end.

Lime sees more than 10 million trips in Seattle

Riders logged more than 10 million trips on Lime vehicles last year, according to the City of Seattle, with standing scooters accounting for more than 8,700 trips every day. City leaders expect scooter use to increase significantly ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

Lime introduced plans to roll out the system several years ago, noting that the new technology could be customized to city-specific needs, enhancing pedestrian safety and reducing sidewalk use.

Lime operates in more than 280 cities across nearly 30 different countries.