Latent class approach to classify e-scooter non-users: A comparative study of Helsinki and Tokyo

Abstract

Recent years have seen a rapid deployment of shared electric scooters (e-scooters), across hundreds of cities worldwide. Despite the global diffusion, most urban residents are still not using e-scooters, and they often bear the negative consequences of e- scooter deployment. This comparative study investigates the attitudes and characteristics of the e-scooter non-users in Helsinki, Finland and Tokyo, Japan using latent class clustering analysis. Our findings reveal five classes of e-scooter non-users, ranging from very negative perspectives to the least negative perspectives towards e-scooter deployment. Non-users also have a diverse set of socio-demographics background, including variation across age, gender, and income. In addition, non-users mostly do not feel the necessity of using an e-scooter as well as lack competences and have safety concerns. Safety concerns are dominant among those with more negative perceptions, while classes with the least negative perceptions and low income tend to not use e-scooters due to high rental costs. Understanding the different categories and perspectives of non-users, alongside with understanding users, has clear smart mobility policy and management implications. On the one hand, it should help with understanding the effectiveness of different interventions stemming from e-scooter operators and public policy actors. On the other hand, this study’s findings contribute to understanding public acceptability of e-scooter technology and associated policy and management actions. The study also opens further pathways for both comparative studies and for understanding different groups of users and non-users of smart mobility technologies.