Experimental examination and simulation analysis of standing-type personal mobility device sharing

This study considers sharing of standing-type personal mobility devices. Such devices offer various advantages as a means of transportation, but they have been used only slightly for this purpose to date. Their cost makes sharing such devices more attractive than owning them. Sharing personal mobility devices is expected to introduce beneficial social influences such as a modal shift. For this study, we conducted small-scale experiments to assess their feasibility. Then we considered larger cases in simulations. The experiments employ four sharing stations and four personal mobility devices by more than 60 registered users. Larger scale simulations are based on a multi-agent model, presenting results for its usage compared with other means of transportation. Such a simulation is expected to provide a basis for future demand prediction and planning of personal mobility sharing.