Micromobility safety app launched to enable rapid emergency response

E-scooter operator Tier has partnered with micro-mobility safety app Busby to create a rapid response system for riders involved in incidents on the road.

Liverpool-based start-up Busby works by using the sensors in a rider’s phone to monitor their movement on the scooter. If a Tier rider is subsequently involved in an incident, such as a crash or a fall, the app begins a 30-second countdown to allow the rider to move or respond. If no movement is detected, the rider’s location will be sent to their emergency contact and to Tier’s local city team who can investigate and arrange help as quickly as needed.

Alongside the primary purpose of the app, the partnership offers several other features, including the Busby Flare, which allows riders to contact nearby users or repair shops in the event of needing assistance while out on the road. Tier users will also be connected to Busby’s RoadRadar feature, which sends an audible notification to nearby vehicle drivers (who use the Busby app) that a Tier rider is close to them, encouraging the driver to take extra care.

The partnership will also see Busby share its anonymous data with Tier on routes that have been identified as more hazardous. This data will support Tier’s decision-making on recommended routes to riders and ensure that danger zones, such as areas with potholes, are avoided. Busby and Tier will also share this data with local government and other authorities  to help identify required road improvements.

The partnership comes just two months after Tier launched its UK & Ireland Safety Board, with independent experts meeting regularly with the aim of raising the bar for safety standards across the e-scooter sector. Tier also recently partnered with the AA’s DriveTech to create the Tier Ride Safe School, which offers the first ever e-scooter theory test.

“Safety is at the heart of everything we do at TIER and we are constantly working on new features, and looking for industry-leading partners, which can offer more protection for our riders,” says Fred Jones, Tier general manager, UK and Ireland. “It is fantastic to be partnering with Busby and it means that our riders can have the peace of mind that they will get rapid assistance in the unlikely event that something goes wrong.”