Spin is testing remote-controlled electric scooters to prevent blocked sidewalks
Spin, the scooter company owned by Ford, is testing a new scooter that can be controlled by a remote operator. The scooters, Segway's T60 model, look different than Spin's regular fleet with the addition of a third wheel in the front. They're also outfitted with sensors and other technology provided by a startup called Tortoise, which has been testing how teleoperation could potentially make fleets of shared electric scooters easier to manage.
Starting this spring, Spin plans to start testing 250 remote-operated scooters in Boise, Idaho, before deciding whether to expand the pilot to additional markets. Tortoise's software - which uses the scooters' front- and rear-facing built-in cameras - makes it possible for remote operators to move...