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Bosch eBike Systems presents digital theft protection for e-bike batteries
by Patrick Bardelli

A stolen e-bike not only causes a lot of annoyance and frustration, but also considerable financial damage. For thieves, on the other hand, it is a lucrative business as long as they can resell stolen bikes without being recognised. This is where Bosch eBike Systems comes in and presents a solution that adds another layer to digital theft protection.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which is taking place in Las Vegas until 9 January, the German technology company Bosch eBike Systems is presenting an extension to its anti-theft protection for e-bikes. In future, stolen bikes or batteries can be marked as stolen in the eBike Flow app. According to the manufacturer, the new feature will be available free of charge in the app from the end of January.
With this function, Bosch eBike Systems says it is expanding its theft protection portfolio, which has been built up since 2018 and consists of «eBike Lock», «eBike Alarm» and «Battery Lock» with an additional layer of protection. This should make theft even less attractive.
Bosch eBike Systems writes: «This is made possible by the digital allocation principle of the smart system. Here, all components of an e-bike - motor, battery, display - are clearly registered and linked to a specific user profile. If the user marks the eBike or battery as stolen, this information is stored centrally and can be accessed anywhere in the Bosch eBike Systems digital ecosystem. The eBike Flow app, the Diagnostic Tool and Bosch Support access the same data. The digital tag can only be removed via the registered user profile.»

This makes it more difficult to resell a stolen e-bike or the battery and increases the chances of getting the bike back: According to Bosch, buyers of second-hand bikes, specialist dealers and authorities will now receive a warning including serial numbers when the connection is established via the eBike Flow app.
The connection to the app will be permanently blocked and updates or customised settings, such as the riding modes, will no longer be possible. In addition, the Bosch eBike Systems diagnostic software will issue a warning to the specialist dealer when the bike is connected for a service.

In addition to theft protection for private use, Bosch eBike Systems is also expanding its range for commercial users. The company also announced this at the CES. E-bike sharing providers, rental companies or company fleets need active control options - for example, if e-bikes are not returned. Bosch eBike Systems offers remote deactivation of the motor support via the Bosch Connect Module for this purpose.
Parallel to this, commercial users receive direct access to operating data via a cloud interface: Battery status, range forecast, service intervals, maintenance requirements, GPS position (when tracking is activated) and usage statistics. This enables integration into existing fleet management systems - crucial for the growing market of professional e-bike fleets. The extended control functions are available to commercial users with immediate effect.
In my view, the new functions offer real added value for customers of e-bikes with Bosch motors. The chance of getting the bike back after theft increases. On the other hand, buyers of second-hand bikes and retailers are informed that they are dealing with a stolen bike and can react accordingly.
From radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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