Technical Report #Draft 1

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Title: Proposal to install E-bike Speed Controlling System(ESCS) in enhancing road safety. 


1 Introduction


The purpose of this report is to provide solutions for an engineering issue identified by DWAF. The proposal covers the background of why e-bike accidents occur, the components of e-bikes, the proposed solution, benefits, evaluation, the research that was being conducted, and a conclusion


In this report, we will explain the main components found in an e-bike as shown in Figure 1.1. A solution is proposed to install different sensors to measure and monitor the speed of an e-bike. A key objective of this proposal is to reduce accidents regarding illegal speeding modifications and ensure road safety for all road users.


Due to the increasing number of power-assisted bicycles (PABs) also known as electric bicycles (e-bikes) users and e-bike related accidents, the team have come up with this proposal to introduce the implementation of a speed control monitoring system. In our proposal, the team will be giving an in-depth analysis of how an e-bike works and how implementing an E-bike Speed Controlling System (ESCS) will affect road safety. Also, explaining to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) how to generalise the installation of ESCS.


Figure 1.1

Components are found in an e-bike.


Note. Adapted from GRIN TECHNOLOGIES (n.d),

https://ebikes.ca/getting-started/ebikes-parts-explained.html

  1.  Background


In 2016, Singapore's government adopted the recommendations of the Active Mobility Advisory Panel concerning cycling and the use of Personal mobility devices (PMDs) and e-bikes. The measures include expanding the cycling network and its supporting facilities to meet challenges in public safety arising from the use of PMDs and e-bikes. PMDs and e-bikes have gained popularity in Singapore because of their convenient, efficient, and affordable nature for short-distance travel. As PMDs and e-bikes are becoming more popular, it has started to spark fears over safety. 


In response to COVID-19, currently, more people are working from home, and thus increasing the demand for food delivery services. Consequently, many e-bike users are using their e-bikes to do food deliveries. “Sales of PABs have been rising due to COVID-19 as more people are ordering food online, the demand for delivery riders has gone up and hence (there has been a) direct increase in sales of PABs,” said Mr Jay Jin, general manager for Kernel Singapore. In tandem with the spike in e-bike usage, traffic accidents involving e-bikes have risen in Singapore. “Figures provided by the Traffic Police showed that the number of accidents involving e-bikes rose from 24 in 2019 to 75 in 2020 - a threefold increase”(Abdullah,2021).


Riding at high speed might also put other road users at risk, a piece of news reported in 2016 by Awang and Heng from The New Paper, “Two boys, aged 16 and 18, were flung onto the bonnet of a car at the junction of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 and Avenue 8 after their e-bike crashed into a car. The teenagers were speeding and had beaten a red light when the accident happened. They were taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital for treatment and were later discharged.”


LTA has introduced certain guidelines for e-bike users to follow. Some of these guidelines are, e-bike users are not allowed to go beyond 25 km/h and ride on footpaths. Moreover, the e-bike must be type-approved, sealed and registered. Hence, the installation of the E-bike Speed Controlling System will enable the government agencies to control reckless speeding and also prevent possible safety hazards caused by illegal modifications such as changing to high voltage batteries, changing the drive chain system, and changing the motor. More detailed specifications will be discussed later. 


  1.  Problem statement


As e-bike usage has grown over the years, incidents regarding them have also increased. Public road safety has always been a major issue. Ideally, e-bike users would follow the LTA guideline without modifying their e-bike and without going beyond the given speed limit for the e-bikes and the roads. However, e-bike users are still illegally modifying their bikes. The goal is to introduce the ESCS to e-bike users to monitor their speed and reduce the number of accidents relating to speeding.


  1.  Purpose statement


The purpose of this report is to propose to the LTA how ESCS could be adopted in dealing with illegal speed modifications in order to decrease the number of accidents while achieving safety for all e-bike road users. With the ESCS we also hope to be able to create a log of the e-bike’s speed at all times, this log data could be retrieved by the LTA to do analysis processing. 






Reference list


Abdullah, A.Z. (2021, June 22).  Singapore’s e-bike numbers doubled over the past year admit demand from food delivery riders. Channel News Asia.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/e-bike-numbers-double-singapore-demand-food-delivery-riders-1944546



Awang, F. N & Heng, L.(2016, March 4).  Teen motorised bicycle land on car windscreen after crash. The New Paper. https://tnp.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/teens-motorised-bicycle-land-car-windscreen-after-crash



Joanne, P. (2019, November 11). LTA Rules for Bikes, Electric Bikes, E-Scooters & PMDs (2020). Money Smart. https://blog.moneysmart.sg/transportation/lta-rules-bikes-e-scooter-pmd/


King, C.C.S et al (2020, n.d). Injury patterns associated with personal mobility devices and electric bicycles. Singapore Medical Journey.

http://www.smj.org.sg/article/injury-patterns-associated-personal-mobility-devices-and-electric-bicycles-analysis-acute



Wei, T. (2020, January 9). 417 road accidents involving cyclists and e-bike users last year, slight drop from 2018. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/417-road-accidents-involving-cyclists-and-e-bike-users-last-year-slight-drop



Cumming, T. (2018, June 8). How does an electric bike work? The Telegraph.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/e-bike-revolution/how-does-an-electric-bike-work/


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