Brussels implements mandatory ID checks for all e-scooter users
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From now on, anyone using a shared e-scooter in the Brussels-Capital Region will first have to complete a mandatory identity verification check, mobility operators Bolt and Dott announced.
The ID checks are aimed at improving safety, and follow the recent public statements made by several Brussels mayors, as well as the request from Brussels Public Prosecutor Julien Moinil; shared scooters are a popular means of transport for drug dealers.
“The measure is part of a broader effort to improve safety and user accountability. Safety is our top priority,” Guillaume Burland, spokesperson for Bolt, told The Brussels Times.
While Bolt and Dott’s e-scooters are available in cities across Europe, the ID check has only been implemented in Brussels. Additionally, they are only required for e-scooters, not for their bikes.
For the time being, riders are only required to complete the ID check. This represents an important additional layer of verification, which “strengthens traceability and allows us to act more effectively in cases of misuse.”
In practice, this means that from now on, all users – both new and existing – will be required to scan an identity document (ID card, passport, driving licence or equivalent document) directly in the app to confirm their identity before using an e-scooter.
Once the document has been scanned, the app carries out an automatic verification – a process that is “fully GDPR-compliant” and “only takes a few seconds,” according to Bolt.
For a complete rider verification, a so-called “selfie check” would be required before each ride. In that case, riders would have to take a selfie when unlocking a scooter, which would then be compared with the photo on the ID document.
