The European Commission has awarded a contract to TRL and fka GmbH to analyse the need for harmonised technical rules in the micromobility market.
This study will support the rise in the uptake of micromobility vehicles to increase safety for all road users.
In recent years, the micromobility market has grown exponentially with the increased use of electrical motors in vehicles such as e-bikes, e-scooters, hoverboards and electric unicycles.
With this growth, the expansion has arguably outpaced regulation, leading to concerns about whether the current regulatory framework is aligned with the sector.
The European Commission has thus commissioned a study on the need to harmonise technical rules across the EU to support innovation and promote safety.
Dr George Beard, Head of New Mobility at TRL said:Micromobility is now more popular than ever, but we still need to nudge adoption. Appropriate regulation is key for unlocking the micromobility market, ensuring high safety standards to protect users and to encourage mode shift away from cars.
Under this contract, TRL and fka GmbH will recommend a comprehensive classification system for micromobility devices. This will support potential regulatory options for micromobility design requirements.
Dr Ianto Guy at TRL, Technical Lead for the project said:As the micromobility market continues to evolve, we are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping regulatory frameworks that prioritise safety and support the sustainable development of urban mobility. Finding a way to harmonise regulations across the EU will greatly assist industry to bring to the market safe and desirable solutions.
