How digital identification will create safer connected mobility systems and increase productivity

The first urban bike-sharing system was developed in 1965 by Dutch native Luud Schimmelpennink. The concept, called Witte Fietsenplan (the white bicycle plan), was simple; paint a bike white, place it around the city and encourage people to use it. 

Today, Schimmelpennink's bike-sharing concept has evolved to become an increasingly important facet of urban transportation due to shifts in commuter behavior. In fact, a recent survey by McKinsey shows that 70% of commuters from around the world are willing to use micromobility vehicles for their daily commute. As seen by our current intelligent labeling solutions and strategic partnerships, Avery Dennison is on the cutting edge of this micromobility revolution. 

On the fast track to a sustainable future

The change in public views on public transportation due to the pandemic has caused some commuters to prefer less crowded modes of transport. In addition to this, strict sustainability targets defined by the European Green deal have encouraged the use of micromobility vehicles such as e-bikes and scooters, resulting in mounting pressure on city authorities to accelerate plans for green transformation. 

"Europe's green and digital transition will bring big changes to the ways we move around. Today's proposals set European mobility on track for a sustainable future. One of the areas is support for cities to increase and improve public transport and infrastructure for walking and cycling," said Executive Vice President for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans.

In order to embrace the sustainable future we all dream of, we must address the growing need for fully integrated transportation systems that connect existing modes of transport with micromobility vehicles. 

Preparing for the future of Micromobility 

We're constantly innovating to meet the demands of the growing micromobility market and currently offer a wide range of intelligent solutions that support seamless urban mobility. In an effort to develop even more connected solutions, we’ve partnered with Digifyy, a leader in developing unique digital identities for all micromobility vehicles, including bicycles and electric scooters.

Digifyy offers a low-cost, multi-functional digital solution that provides government officials and manufacturers access to essential data anonymously obtained from individual bikes. This data can inform infrastructure and bicycle production decisions that improve the transportation ecosystem. Together with Digifyy, we're exploring intelligent solutions that enable the full connectivity of traffic management, commuter safety, and more that allows all micromobility vehicles to integrate successfully into transportation networks.

Digital identification

Revolutionizing safety

The digital identification of bicycles is increasingly important in a time when many different types of commuters are sharing the road. One example of how intelligent labels can keep cyclists safe is the use of passive RFID inlays placed on the frames of bicycles. These RFID inlays use a small antenna that tracks traffic flows, allowing municipalities and city authorities to identify the location of heavy traffic patterns anonymously, thus improving traffic safety for cyclists and pedestrians. For example, this data can inform where to establish safe parking for bike shares or plan for bike lanes in light traffic areas. 

Effective inventory management

Visibility on where micromobility components are located and supplying them to areas of your business where they're needed most is another way in which RFID labels can enable a fully interconnected network of products and services. We offer long-range RFID inlays for different types of applications that track and trace spare parts so you know exactly where they are, the amount available, and where they should be delivered. This type of real-time efficiency can improve inventory management in a time when supply chain disruptions are significantly impacting businesses. 

Security prioritized

Intelligent labels are a holistic solution driven by the need to address issues hindering the adoption and handling of bicycles. Rather than promoting a single technology, we unify many different technological approaches that provide efficient solutions for the micromobility market. This is true for the Digifyy solution, which supports international standards and complies with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and privacy.

"Digifyy has developed a technology solution that will initially enable many adaptive benefits for the cycling community and potentially link every aspect of mobility and infrastructure," says Digifyy's Chairman, Mariano Anthony Davies. "At the same time, we allow the inclusion of many additional positive synergies."

 

Discover our intelligent solutions 

With no signs of the micromobility market slowing down, we’re hyper-focused on expanding upon our intelligent labeling solutions that support the needs of manufacturers and OEMs. We currently offer several intelligent labeling materials convenient for micromobility vehicles designed to increase supply chain integrity, improve safety, reduce liabilities, and more. 

Learn more about micromobility opportunities by viewing our product guide, or please get in touch for more information.