Lime Pulls Swiss Scooters Over Sudden Braking Malfunctions
Lime removes its entire fleet from Swiss cities after riders experience sudden braking that causes injuries. The company suspects a recent software update triggers an anti-theft lock during rides.
Lime pulls its entire fleet of electric scooters from the Swiss cities of Zurich and Basel after multiple reports of sudden braking malfunctions. Riders experience abrupt stops that throw them off the scooters, resulting in injuries and prompting the company to halt its service for thorough safety checks.
The company investigates whether a recent software update causes the scooters to reboot unexpectedly while in motion. This unintended reboot engages the anti-theft immobilization system, which automatically brakes the vehicle and puts the rider at risk of a crash.
To compensate users for the disruption, Lime offers a free 15-minute ride credit for when the service eventually returns. The startup currently tests each device individually to ensure no further hardware or software issues remain, although it does not provide a specific timeline for when the scooters will hit the streets again.