Stantec GenerationAV™ partners with Swiftmile to advance micromobility and create AV-ready streets

Feb. 10, 2021
Micromobility Hubs will keep light electric vehicles orderly and charged while serving as a platform for autonomous and connected vehicle technology.

Swiftmile and Stantec GenerationAV™ have partnered to bring Swiftmile’s micromobility hubs to cities, municipalities and campuses, helping scale adoption of electric micromobility while providing a new platform for integrating AV and connected vehicle technology.

The partnership addresses immediate needs such as sidewalk safety and parking for micromobility, while creating an AV-ready future, pairing the deployment of mobility hubs with mobility programming, complete streets planning and design.

Micromobility is establishing itself as a lasting element of the urban streetscape and a key mechanism for transport decarbonization, says Stantec, noting e-scooter and bikeshare ridership was on a growth trajectory before the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been widely supported by public investments in protected bike lanes and open streets over the past year. With increased action by cities and a continued growth in modal options, industry analysts predict that micromobility will thrive over the long term.

The micromobility sector’s continued growth will require more safe places to ride as well as new public infrastructure for vehicles to park and charge. Swiftmile’s micromobility hubs can charge any type of light electric vehicle -- shared and personally-owned. Hubs include smart technology that can help AVs navigate in complex urban environments, while also providing docking and charging space for delivery bots, which are already being piloted in some cities.

“Both micromobility and automated mobility are critical pieces of the transportation puzzle moving forward, for large and medium-sized cities,” said Corey Clothier, director of Stantec GenerationAV™. “Our partnership with Swiftmile will connect the dots from urban planning, AV education and smart technology to make new mobility options work for cities, campuses and developers alike.”

Swiftmile’s charging stations can integrate mid-band 5G capabilities, which enables data exchange, vehicle to infrastructure communication, AV localization and other intelligent transportation system (ITS) functions. The integration of additional LiDAR sensors can track traffic volumes, trajectory and speed. This technology-enabled data collection can help inform and plan mobility programs that suit the distinct needs of the community.

“Swiftmile sits at the confluence of three movements: the micromobility boom, the reinvention of urban streetscapes and growing public investment in green transportation infrastructure,” said Swiftmile CEO Colin Roche. “This new ‘better together’ partnership will help us both accelerate these three major movements at scale in 2021 and beyond.”

“We have the tools to design and plan smarter complete streets while providing flexible, sustainable mobility options for people,” said Kate Jack, Smart Mobility Lead at Stantec. “By pairing the next generation of technology with a city’s transportation and development plans, we can create mobility hubs that advance equitable, accessible transportation options in all kinds of communities.”