Tech

San Franciscans will now get to use Bird Two scooters

The self-diagnosing scooter is here.

Electric scooter stands near public bus stop. Electric scooters stand along the streets of downtown....
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With the help of Scoot, Bird is ready to launch its Bird Two scooters in San Francisco. According to a press release provided by Bird, the plan is to introduce at least 1,000 Bird Two rides throughout the area.

This means San Francisco is the first city in the United States to get these rides. What makes Bird Two special is its ability to self-diagnose technical issues and report them to the company. To be clear, though, robotics companies like Superpedestrian are already working on using artificial intelligence to proactively spot mechanical issues and report them, but Bird is the first company to officially launch these scooters in public.

What else is different about Bird Two? — Apart from the fact that Bird Two scooters are able to self-diagnose and report any issues, these scooters also come with anti-theft encryption. This would especially help in crowded cities like San Francisco where keeping track of all scooters isn't exactly feasible for a firm. With Bird Two, an anti-theft system keeps the company alerted of any missing scooters.

Other bonuses — Bird Two also comes with puncture-resistant tires. For electric scooter and bike companies, vandalism is a recurring issue. Making sturdy tires may not fix the issue of spray paint but it certainly helps with keeping the wheels intact. These scooters also come with Bird Two batteries, ideal for lasting power especially when the weather fluctuates. Plus, the company says that Bird Two scooters have minimal exposed screws, which helps avoid serious injuries.

What Scoot says — The founder of Scoot and Bird SVP of Cities, Michael Keating, officially stated, "With each new generation of electric vehicle we bring to San Francisco, fewer San Franciscans have a need to get in a car."

"Bird Two continues this trend with industry-leading performance, range, and safety features," he added, "allowing our riders to replace even more of their car trips with micro-mobility." Enjoy your smart rides, San Francisco.