Experimental Analysis on Electric-Kick Scooter

Due to the novelty of the topic and the rapid expansion of e-scooter systems, it has led to an increasing number of injuries. A large proportion of injuries are related to the vehicles themselves. Therefore, a thorough investigation of their safety is required. The purpose of the thesis is to collect substantiation for or against the safety level of e-scooters, in terms of rider safety and comfort. MI Pro 2 was used to record the kinematic data recorded using sensors mounted on the e-scooter. A set of performance indicators were studied to be able to compare the e-scooter and establish its safety. This thesis aims at providing data through experimental analysis and comparing them with different sets of constraints. The tests were mainly focused on the longitudinal and vertical dynamics of the e-scooter as they contribute to the rider’s comfort and safety. The tests include coastdown testing to compute the resistance forces acting on the e-scooter by presenting the range of vibrations acting in different positions within the e-scooter. The accelerations were also computed followed by signal processing using MATLAB software. Results suggest that the e-scooter performed very well in terms of rider comfort and safety. It also had good maneuverability with decent braking performances. Future studies could include experiments in more naturalistic settings that could provide valuable data to extend the results presented in this thesis. The results from this thesis could be used to help improve the design of electric scooters and contribute to the guidelines for infrastructure design and policy making.