Hardware overview for shared micro-mobility (3/3): Smart locks & Docking stations

The shared mobility industry is evolving rapidly. Operators are navigating scaling challenges, regulatory complexity, hardware decisions, fleet optimization, and new integration models, all while aiming for sustainable growth.

That’s exactly why ATOM Mobility is organizing ATOM Connect 2026.

Our previous edition of ATOM Connect brought together professionals from the car sharing and rental industry for focused, high-quality discussions and networking. This year, we are narrowing the focus and dedicating the entire event to one fast-moving segment of the industry: shared micromobility.

ATOM Connect 2026 is designed specifically for operators, partners, and decision-makers working in shared micromobility. It is not a broad mobility conference or a public exhibition. It is a curated space for industry professionals to exchange practical experience, insights, and lessons learned.

On May 14th, 2026 in Riga, we will once again bring the community together, this time with a clear focus on micromobility.

What to expect

This year’s agenda will address the real operational and strategic questions shaping shared micromobility today:

• Scaling fleets sustainably
• Multi-vehicle operations beyond scooters
• Regulatory cooperation and long-term city partnerships
• Data-driven fleet optimization
• MaaS integration and ecosystem collaboration
• Marketing and automation for growth

As usual, we aim to host both local and international operators from smaller, fast-growing fleets to established large-scale players alongside hardware providers and ecosystem partners.

On stage, you’ll hear from leading shared mobility companies - including Segway on hardware partnerships, Umob on MaaS integration, Anadue on data-driven fleet intelligence, Elerent on multi-vehicle operational realities and more insightful discussions.

The goal is simple: meaningful discussions with people who understand the operational realities of the industry.

A curated, industry-focused event

ATOM Connect is free to attend, but participation is industry-focused (each submission is manually reviewed and verified). We are intentionally keeping the audience relevant and aligned to ensure high-quality conversations and valuable networking.

If you work in shared micromobility and would like to join the event, you can find the full agenda and register here:
👉 https://www.atommobility.com/atom-connect-2026

In the coming weeks, we will be revealing more speakers and additional agenda updates. We look forward to bringing the industry together again.

Fleet operators don’t lose revenue because of lack of demand - they lose it because demand appears in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s exactly the problem the Unmet demand heatmap solves.

This new analytics layer from ATOM Mobility shows where users actively searched for vehicles but couldn’t find any within reach. Not guesses. Not assumptions. Real, proven demand currently left on the table.

What is the unmet demand heatmap?

The unmet demand heatmap highlights locations where:

• A user opened the app
• Actively searched for available vehicles
• No vehicle was found within the defined search radius

In other words: high-intent users who wanted to ride, but couldn’t. Unlike generic “app open” data, unmet demand is recorded only when a real vehicle search happens, making this one of the most actionable datasets for operators.

Why unmet demand is more valuable than app opens

Many analytics tools track where users open the app (ATOM Mobility provides this data too). That’s useful - but incomplete. Unmet demand answers a much stronger question:
Where did users try to ride and failed? That difference matters.

Unmet demand data is:

✅ Intent-driven (search-based, not passive)

✅ Directly tied to lost revenue

✅ Immediately actionable for rebalancing and expansion

✅ Credible for discussions with cities and partners

How it works

Here’s how the logic is implemented under the hood:

1. Search-based trigger. Unmet demand is recorded only when a user performs a vehicle search. No search = no data point.

2. Distance threshold. If no vehicle is available within 1,000 meters, unmet demand is logged.

• The radius can be customized per operator
• Adaptable for dense cities vs. suburban or rural areas

3. Shared + private fleet support. The feature tracks unmet demand for:

• Shared fleets
• Private / restricted fleets (e.g. corporate, residential, campus)

This gives operators a full picture across all use cases.

4. GPS validation. Data is collected only when:

• GPS is enabled
• Location data is successfully received

This ensures accuracy and avoids noise.

Smart data optimization (no inflated demand)

To prevent multiple searches from the same user artificially inflating demand, the system applies intelligent filtering:

- After a location is stored, a 30-minute cooldown is activated
- If the same user searches again within 30 minutes And within 100 meters of the previous location → the record is skipped
- After 30 minutes, a new record is stored - even if the location is unchanged

Result: clean, realistic demand signals, not spammy heatmaps.

Why this matters for operators

📈 Increase revenue

Unmet demand shows exactly where vehicles are missing allowing you to:

• Rebalance fleets faster
• Expand into proven demand zones
• Reduce failed searches and lost rides

🚚 Smarter rebalancing

Instead of guessing where to move vehicles, teams can prioritize:

• High-intent demand hotspots
• Time-based demand patterns
• Areas with repeated unmet searches

🏙 Stronger city conversations

Unmet demand heatmaps are powerful evidence for:

• Permit negotiations
• Zone expansions
• Infrastructure requests
• Data-backed urban planning discussions

📊 Higher conversion rates

Placing vehicles where users actually search improves:

• Search → ride conversion
• User satisfaction
• Retention over time

Built for real operational use

The new unmet demand heatmap is designed to work alongside other analytics layers, including:

- Popular routes heatmap
- Open app heatmap
- Start & end locations heatmap

Operators can also:

• Toggle zone visibility across heatmaps
• Adjust time periods (performance-optimized)
• Combine insights for strategic fleet planning

From missed demand to competitive advantage

Every unmet search is a signal. Every signal is a potential ride. Every ride is revenue. With the unmet demand heatmap, operators stop guessing and start placing vehicles exactly where demand already exists.

👉 If you want to see how unmet demand can unlock growth for your fleet, book a demo with ATOM Mobility and explore how advanced heatmaps turn data into decisions.