Bosch makes resale of stolen e-bikes more difficult

Bosch has added an extra layer of digital theft protection for its electric bicycles. From the end of January, owners can report stolen e-bikes or even batteries as stolen free of charge via an app. This removes anonymity for thieves attempting to sell the bike or battery. For instance, second-hand buyers, specialist dealers, workshop staff, or authorities will receive a warning when they try to connect to the e-bike using the app—including the serial numbers of the components marked as stolen.

“Stolen e-bikes can thus be permanently identified within the digital ecosystem of Bosch eBike Systems,” the manufacturer explains. “This makes resale significantly more difficult and increases the chances of recovering the e-bike.” The new security mechanism also ensures that over-the-air updates or individual adjustments to riding modes on the stolen e-bike are no longer possible. Furthermore, “specialist dealers will receive a warning in the DiagnosticTool, the diagnostic software from Bosch eBike Systems, when they connect the e-bike for servicing.”

This is made possible by a digital assignment principle, where all components of an e-bike—motor, battery, and display—are uniquely registered and linked to a specific user profile. “If the user marks their eBike or battery as stolen, this information is stored centrally and can be accessed from anywhere in the digital ecosystem of Bosch eBike Systems.” According to Bosch, the digital marker can only be removed by the registered user profile. With this new feature, Bosch eBike Systems is expanding its theft protection portfolio, which has been in place since 2018 and includes ‘eBike Lock’, ‘eBike Alarm’, and ‘Battery Lock’.

Additionally, the company is expanding its offering for commercial users such as rental services, fleet operators, and sharing providers. If an e-bike is not returned, operators can remotely deactivate the motor assistance. They also gain direct access via a cloud interface to operational data, including battery status, range forecast, service intervals, maintenance requirements, GPS position (if tracking is enabled), and usage statistics.

bosch-presse.de