Micromobility 5+ conditions in Tallinn

Micromobility devices, such as e-scooters, are an essential means of decreasing private car ownership in Tallinn. E-scooters are already frequently used as a last-mile option for commuters. The current modal split for micromobility is at around 4-5%. The City of Tallinn aims to increase this to 10%. Snow and icy weather conditions in the winter months, however, drastically affect micromobility usage. Current infrastructure is not prepared for extreme weather conditions, which force people to switch to safer transport options.

Social Tech Projects is developing the R.O.A.D Winter System, which collects data about ice formation and forecasts icy and snowy conditions on cycle paths to improve safety and promote micromobility usage during winter. The solution will focus on:

• proactive maintenance: using real-time thermal camera data and weather forecasts, the system will proactively predict ice formation, enabling faster interventions and safer riding conditions;

• real-time monitoring: using a local weather station and high-resolution cameras, the system will enable road managers to monitor cycle paths remotely and manage build-ups of snow and ice across multiple locations;

• better planning: a task management system enables road maintenance companies to assign gritting and snow removal tasks in real time, optimising their resources and response times during critical weather conditions.

During the project pilot, the system will aim to identify snowy and icy conditions on roads and provide notifications through a real-time web dashboard.