Guiding lights: turn indicators on Voiager 4 make riding safer, more comfortable

When you’re riding an e-scooter, how do you let other road users know which direction you’d like to travel in? This has been a hot topic in both regulatory and research discussions.

A 2020 study by France’s Smart Mobility Lab found that lack of indicators or direction-indicating systems was one on the public’s top concerns against e-scooter use. In June 2020, the German Road Safety Council called for the compulsory addition of indicator lights to e-scooters to increase visibility. In the Netherlands, an emerging e-scooter market with pending legislation, regulators are considering making turn indicators a requirement for shared rental programs.

Unless a scooter is equipped with electric turn signals and brake lights, riders should use accepted hand signals to let other road users know if they are turning or stopping. Although riders might feel safe and confident navigating through traffic this way, given that e-scooters are relatively new additions to the transport ecosystem, hand signals may be missed or misunderstood by car drivers, which increases the possibility of accidents. Not to mention that if a rider takes their hands off the handlebars, they could lose their balance and risk falling.

That’s why we decided to add turn indicators to our new e-scooter model, the Voiager 4.

We believe turn indicators will make a marked difference to safety, improve public perception of e-scooters, and help e-scooters fully integrate into the road network.

In fact, based on our recent user survey, the ability to indicate when turning was the number-one feature that impacts a user’s perception of safety.

There are two sets of indicators, one on the handlebars and one at the bottom rear of the scooter. They emit a very bright light, strong even in broad daylight. Users can turn on the indicators using a button located to the right side of the bell, within easy reach, so riders can still maintain a good grip on the handlebars. There are also two flashing indicators on the display area showing the user that they have the indicators turned on, similar to the display that you’d find in a car.

“We saw turn indicators as a major feature that was lacking in other vehicles,” said Shahin Ghazinouri, our VP of hardware engineering. “How you communicate with your surroundings and signal your intentions to pedestrians and other vehicles is important for safety. Safety is always top of mind at Voi, and turn indicators bring us another step closer to Vision Zero, to eliminate traffic injuries and fatalities, while supporting equitable, safe mobility.”

Ride on, knowing that our new turn indicators will illuminate your way!