Software trends and developments from EUROBIKE 2019 that have the potential to revolutionise the eMTB market
The halls of EUROBIKE were full of tech, both weird and wonderful. One hall that was particularly interesting was A1, reserved mainly for e-bike software and motors. We had a look around, and bring you the most exciting software trends and developments that could shape the future of the e-bikes we ride today!
We have rounded up some of the hottest software and digital products, some of which are already in use or will be in the near future and take topics such as safety, anti-theft, fleet management, augmented reality and analysis to a new level.
Greyp Bikes – Where cycling and gaming blur lines
Greyp have always said that they have created their bikes around their software, not the other way round. This has lead to a level of connectivity and augmented reality that was never seen before in the eMTB sector. Combining a number of cameras, sensors and an eSIM has allowed Greyp to create a platform that brings the world of gaming to e-bikes. Here at EUROBIKE, Greyp was showing off their capabilities with a real-time game. EUROBIKE visitors could test ride their bikes on a test track. A digital map on the Greyp booth did not only show the current location of all test riders (the bikes are constantly connected to the internet!) and some real time data like motor support, human power and speed but it also served to digitally drop a beer or other goodies on the map. If Greyp did so, the location of the items was then sent to all bikes, and the users had to race to find them, first come first served. Of course, the Greyp software also provided the navigation.
More info at greyp.com
ESB – Ready2Connect?
Italian company ESB produce a connectivity and management system for e-bikes. The system is integrated into the battery, or sometimes into the frame, and collects real-time data that is pushed to a cloud storage. This info can then be accessed by the service help desk, the retailer and the end-user via a phone app. ESB is a SITAEL product, who also create technologies for clients such as NASA and ASA, as well as sectors like aviation, railways and mobility. Everything is produced in Italy.
The platform offers social/brand interaction, navigation, fleet management, remote diagnosis, real-time support, maintenance notifications, performance tracking, and also crash detection thanks to an accelerometer which sends info to a predetermined contact list in the event of a crash. Anti-theft tracking is also high on the agenda, and 2 stolen bikes from Vienna and Germany have already been traced and recovered thanks to the software.
Sharea – fleet management
Sharea’s aim is to offer a comprehensive solution for companies looking to subcontract a fleet management, booking and rental platform. The end customer uses a white-label app offering a booking platform and fleet management. As a subsidiary company of ZEG, Germany’s biggest union of independent bike dealers and a conglomerate of various brands such as BULLS and Kettler, Sharea is able to offer the full package, from bike leasing and insurance to bike service by a local dealer.
ESB – Ready2Connect
Eplus.bike: traceless tuning
Basically we’re against tuning and every kind of touching e-bike software, but as a news carrier, we don’t want to hide the following from you. Eplus.bike have created a tuning tool that is said to be traceless and which lets you remap your eMTB’s engine. All you have to do is select what engine you want to tune, connect your phone to the engine and create and select your own maps. You can create up to five different maps, tuning the max torque, max power (Watts) and maximum speed limit.
More info at eplus.bike
While the software itself is not illegal according to the developers, it is against the law to increase the speed limit of your eMTB and ride it on public land. Eplus.bike cover their backs with a clear disclaimer and require a signature (a payment of 1 €) to confirm that you have understood their terms and conditions. So, if you get caught red-handed you can’t say you weren’t warned beforehand! Turning a blind eye to the law won’t help you.
COMODULE: navigation, range visualisation and anti-theft
COMODULE is an Estonian brand that was born by the love of building electric racing cars, a love that was shared by its three founders. Since its founding in 2014, the company has specialised in producing both software and hardware that is capable of providing solutions such as fleet management and connectivity. The end-user will interact with COMODULE’s app, which is capable of navigation, and more interestingly, visualising the range of the e-bike you are riding based. The app can display a real-time maximum-range radius, as well as anti-theft tracking, motor diagnosis and riding-data.
More info at comodule.com
Conclusion
The trend of digitalising e-bikes is stronger than ever before: the future looks bad for traditional bike thieves and we might not need any bike locks in the future if our eMTB is always online and traceable. The future looks bright for many riders, as well as companies that want to offer better and smarter service to their customers. So is there only good news? We will see, but one thing is clear: the trend raises some serious questions: Who owns our data? What are the risks and what are the real advantages digitalisation will bring us?
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Words: Finlay Anderson, Robin Schmitt Photos: Finlay Anderson
