Voi UK has partnered with Lazarillo to provide vulnerable users with real-time voice messages on where Voi scooters are parked.
Lazarillo’s app aims to improve urban accessibility for blind and visually-impaired people by helping them safely navigate busy streets. By integrating with Voi’s interface, Lazarillo subscribers will be able to receive alerts on parked Voi scooters to minimise the risk of colliding with them. In addition, the Lazarillo app can be used to report any poorly parked e-scooter.
The information is currently available on Lazarillo’s app in Bristol, Liverpool and Birmingham, and more UK cities will be added in the future.
René Espinoza Jimenez, Founder & CEO of Lazarillo said:Our integration with Voi intends to provide new information to our users as well as a new accessible tool for reporting. This work is quite new, and we hope that the integration will allow people with disabilities to feel more empowered as we work toward smarter and more accessible cities together.
This partnership progresses Voi’s roadmap to inclusive micromobility by prioritising the safety of all road users. Responsible parking is one of Voi’s primary safety pillars and they therefore require all users to submit a parking photo when finishing their ride. In addition, Voi has previously partnered with the Royal National Institute of Blind People to co-design visually distinctive parking racks and pilot an artificial noise to help protect pedestrians with sight loss.
Voi has also worked closely with leading sight loss charity, Thomas Pocklington Trust who supported the partnership with Lazarillo.
Mike Bell, National Public Affairs Lead, Thomas Pocklington Trust said:We’re pleased that Voi is listening to the concerns of blind and partially sighted people around e-scooter use. The partnership with Lazarillo will help to deliver a safer experience for visually-impaired pedestrians and raise awareness of the crucial importance of safe parking and use of e-scooters.
