Analysis of E-Scooter Vibrations Risks for Riding Comfort Based on Real Measurements

Abstract

Means of transport should be able to fulfil their main function safely and comfortably for travellers and drivers. The effects of vibrations on ride comfort are in the frequency range of 0.5 to 80 Hz and can be analysed using the UNE-2631 standard. This type of analysis has been conducted for several means of transport (bicycles, motorcycles, cars, trucks, etc.), but the literature on e-scooter comfort is very scarce. Existing research describes methodologies, simulation models, and a few measurements related to e-scooter comfort. This paper presents, for the first time, a comfort analysis using an Arduino-based data acquisition system at a sampling frequency of 200 Hz (higher than that in previous studies). Acceleration and speed measurements were obtained by sensorising an e-scooter with inflated wheels without any additional damping systems, which is one of the commonly used e-scooter types. In this study, the comfort for two different speeds (20 and 28 km/h), two types of pavements (pavers and asphalt), and two drivers with different weights was investigated. The results indicate the lowest comfort values for higher velocities and paver pavement. Furthermore, the comfort values were extremely low for all scenarios. In addition, the results demonstrate the necessity of using a sampling rate of at least 80 Hz for this e-scooter model.