Bird Announces Suite of Technology Solutions to Meet City Needs

Rhea-AI Summary

Bird Global (NYSE:BRDS) announced new technology solutions aimed at enhancing rider safety and compliance. Key updates include integration with Google Maps for scooter availability, an improved Visual Parking System utilizing AR, and a new Rider Age Verification tool using AWS Rekognition. Bird is also developing features like Double Riding Detection and Camera-Equipped Vehicles to enhance safety. CEO Shane Torchiana emphasized the importance of these innovations for city partnerships and eco-friendly transportation access. These initiatives mark a significant investment in technology to improve the rider experience.

Positive

• Integration with Google Maps enhances user accessibility and encourages sustainability.
• Improved Visual Parking System promotes cleaner urban spaces and enhanced user experience.
• Rider Age Verification increases safety and compliance with local regulations.

Negative

• Potential risks associated with maintaining compliance with city regulations and safety standards.
• Ongoing financial challenges and competition in the e-mobility sector could hinder growth.

Five Products Designed to Support Safety and Mobility

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bird Global, Inc. (NYSE:BRDS), a leader in environmentally friendly electric transportation, today announced a suite of technology solutions designed to meet the needs of its city partners. The new technologies are designed and integrated into the Bird rider experience in order to encourage safe and compliant riding and parking.

“To achieve our mission of providing eco-friendly transportation to all, it’s critical that we continue to invest in technology and product solutions that meet the needs of our city partners,” said Shane Torchiana, CEO, Bird. “We’ve come a long way since we started this category in 2017, but still have a great deal more to do; by making it easier to find a scooter, park a scooter, ride compliantly, and do so safely, we’ll continue advancing access to micromobility in hundreds of communities around the world.”

Bird’s new product solutions include:

Global Google Maps Integration: To incentivize mode shift away from cars and into more sustainable options, it’s critical that people can easily see when a shared electric scooter is available nearby. Following two years of success in the United States, Bird is now integrating into Google Maps across Canada and Europe, as well. Soon, riders in these regions will be able to see Bird vehicle locations within Google Maps.

Enhanced Bird Visual Parking System: After first unveiling the technology in May 2022, Bird is enhancing its Visual Parking System, powered by Google’s ARCore Geospatial API to better guide riders to designated parking locations. The technology enables Bird to geo-localize parked scooters and e-bikes with pinpoint accuracy by leveraging years of Google 3D scanning, augmented reality (AR) technology and Street View data from around the world. When a rider has finished a ride, they will be prompted to scan their surroundings using the camera on their smartphone. Using both augmented reality and a new dynamic map of the area, riders are guided to designated parking spots nearby using wayfinding guidance in their Bird app, helping ensure cleaner sidewalks and a smoother rider experience. This technology is specifically suited to dense urban cores, and is currently live in California (on the UCLA campus and in San Diego), Tel Aviv, Malaga, Rome, Perth, and Vienna.

Rider Age Verification: Leveraging Amazon AWS Rekognition, Bird is rolling out a new age verification tool in select cities around the U.S. to allow riders to verify that they are of the locally permitted age to rent and ride a scooter. When initiating a ride, U.S. riders are prompted to scan a government issued-ID. If they prefer, they will be able to select another method to verify their identity, including a selfie. Using AI technology, a rider’s selfie is then analyzed to estimate their estimated age range. If the lower limits of their age range are not above the legally permitted age, they will be prompted to verify their age using a government-issued ID. This solution provides the smoothest rider experience by providing choice in verification methods, and also provides a potential solution if the rider does not have a government-issued ID, helping expand equitable access to transportation.

In addition to these three technologies already available in markets around the world, two additional technologies are in development and will be launched this year:

Double Riding Detection: Two people on a single scooter poses safety risks to both the riders and passersby. Bird scooters will soon be able to detect if there are two riders on a single vehicle and if so, send alerts to the rider, helping facilitate a safer ride experience.

Camera-Equipped Vehicles: As Bird continues to invest in best-in-class vehicles, the company has begun testing camera-equipped e-scooters to better support computer vision technologies, including parking and lane detection. This will also offer enhanced sidewalk riding detection, building on Bird’s current location-based sidewalk riding detection solution, which is available in select cities including San Diego, California; Ottawa, Ontario; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Reno, Nevada.

For more information about riding with Bird, visit go.bird.co

About Bird

Bird is an electric vehicle company dedicated to bringing affordable, environmentally friendly transportation solutions such as e-scooters and e-bikes to communities across the world. Founded in 2017 by transportation pioneer Travis VanderZanden, Bird’s cleaner, affordable, and on-demand mobility solutions are available in more than 350 cities, primarily across the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. We take a collaborative, community-first approach to micromobility. Bird partners closely with the cities in which it operates to provide a reliable and affordable transportation option for people who live and work there.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected benefits of the transaction; our path to profitability and our future financial performance, operations, operating results and financial condition. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, our ability to cure our New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) price deficiency and meet the continued listing requirements of the NYSE; risks related to our relatively short operating history and our new and evolving business model, which makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects, forecast financial results, and assess the risks and challenges we may face; our ability to achieve or maintain profitability in the future; our ability to retain existing riders or add new riders; our Fleet Managers’ ability to maintain vehicle quality or service levels; our ability to evaluate our business and prospects in the new and rapidly changing industry in which we operate; risks related to the impact of poor weather and seasonality on our business; our ability to obtain vehicles that meet our quality specifications in sufficient quantities on commercially reasonable terms; our ability to compete successfully in the highly competitive industries in which we operate; risks related to our substantial indebtedness; our ability to secure additional financing; risks related to the effective operation of mobile operating systems, networks and standards that we do not control; risks related to action by governmental authorities to restrict access to our products and services in their localities; risks related to claims, lawsuits, arbitration proceedings, government investigations and other proceedings to which we are regularly subject; risks related to compliance, market and other risks, including the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, in relation to any expansion by us into international markets; any continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition, and results of operations; risks related to the impact of impairment of our long-lived assets and the other important factors discussed in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 , and described from time to time in our future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to us as of the date of this press release and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, these statements are inherently uncertain and you are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise.

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Investor Contact

Investor@bird.co

Media Contact

Press@bird.co

Source: Bird Global, Inc.

FAQ

What new technologies has Bird Global announced in 2023?

Bird Global announced new technologies such as Global Google Maps integration, an Enhanced Visual Parking System, and a Rider Age Verification tool.

How does Bird's Visual Parking System work?

The Visual Parking System uses augmented reality to guide riders to designated parking locations, improving compliance with parking regulations.

What is the purpose of the Rider Age Verification tool?

This tool allows riders to verify their age through government-issued ID or facial recognition to ensure compliance with local age regulations.

How is Bird expanding its services in 2023?

Bird is expanding by integrating its services with Google Maps in Canada and Europe, enhancing user access to e-scooter locations.

What are the future developments planned by Bird Global?

Bird is developing features like Double Riding Detection and Camera-Equipped Vehicles to enhance rider safety and operational efficiency.