If you live in or have visited a major city in the past year, you've most likely had an encounter with an electric scooter. Another common sighting is a group of them rushing through packed streets, which is a convenient way to avoid traffic during busy hours. However, until now, each rider had to scan and pay for their scooter themself, which was somehow inconvenient, especially when some users had to download the app and create an account. Nevertheless, Lime is now rolling out a new feature that lets a single user pay for an entire group of riders, without the need for them to have an account.

The new functionality appears to have been activated on Lime's servers, as it showed up without updating the app. One of our tipsters saw it in Athens yesterday, and I was able to use it in Paris this morning. The feature was still available when I changed my location to Los Angeles, so it looks like Group Rides are available internationally. Interestingly, it was apparently spotted 13 days ago but seemed to be exclusively available in German.

To use the feature, simply tap the Group Ride button at the bottom of the screen and scan the QR codes one after the other. This is a great way to move around with your partner, friends, or family, or even for small companies to organize private tours.

Thanks: Carl Schütte