UK’s Biggest E-Scooter Operator Voi Partners With Onfido

Onfido, the global identity verification, and authentication company announced a strategic partnership with Voi Technology, the U.K.’s number-one e-scooter operator, to support the leading European operator in verifying the identity and age of riders as Voi expands its pilot programs throughout the UK.

With trials running in the West Midlands, Cambridge, Northampton, Liverpool, Bath, and Bristol, Voi is the UK’s number-one operator of rental e-scooters. For context, no other e-scooter provider operates in more than three cities and towns. Since Voi’s scooters hit U.K. streets, they have been used to complete more than 100,000 rides.

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Onfido and Voi have been working closely for several months, as Voi tendered with councils across the country to provide rental e-scooters after Government-approved trials were brought forward by the Department for Transport. The e-scooter provider’s dedication to security led it to implement digital identity verification to reduce the risk of impersonation amongst its riders.

With riders legally required to hold a valid driving license during the initial trials, Voi was able to meet this requirement through its partnership with Onfido, while taking steps to prevent ineligible users from gaining access to the service.

Voi was one of the only operators to incorporate document verification checks in their demo application, which was presented to U.K. council leaders during the tender process. The use of best practice identity verification technology to ensure that all users hold driving licenses was repeatedly recognized as an essential factor in councils’ decisions to offer Voi tenders.

Other safety measures implemented by Voi that go above and beyond the UK government’s requirements include geofencing technology (virtual geographic boundaries defined by GPS) which mean scooters can’t travel over 5mph in pedestrianized areas for instance; number plates on each scooter to further identify riders and address any issues around misuse; and the launch of an online safety school to teach riders how to ride the scooters responsibly. Voi also has ambassadors on city streets to educate riders and ensure the scooters are correctly parked, operating in close collaboration with the local police to enforce appropriate behavior.

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By using Onfido’s award-winning AI-powered technology, Voi riders are able to sign up in minutes by simply taking a photo of their driving license. Currently, Onfido completes the document verification check and is currently working with Voi to develop additional ID verification methods. This will ensure the person presenting the identity is the legitimate owner of the driving license and is physically present.

Fredrik Hjelm, co-founder, and CEO of Voi Technology, said: “Safety is paramount to everything we do at Voi, and one aspect of this is the correct identification of riders. Our strategic partnership with Onfido is critical to ensure that people are riding Voi scooters appropriately. We’re looking forward to taking this fast and simple process one step further to guarantee the legitimate owner is the one making a journey. Voi is committed to offering an alternative, safe and sustainable mode of transport to transform the way we move around cities, and our partnership with the leading online identity verification tech company Onfido are essential to that mission.”

“We’re pleased to be partnering with Voi Scooters to introduce digital identity verification to confirm their riders’ eligibility and support their tenders for UK e-scooter trials,” said Kevin Trilli, Chief Product Officer of Onfido. “The ability for e-scooter riders to securely verify their identities is not only important for providing access to the service, but in guaranteeing the future of e-scooters in Britain’s micro-mobility sector by preventing the service from being exploited and misused by those that are not eligible during these important trials.”

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