The number of bicycle thefts in Germany has been at a high level for many years: around 300,000 bikes change hands every year without the owner's consent. In addition, experts assume that many thefts go unreported, as many victims have little hope of seeing their bikes again. In fact, the police's detection rate is very low. In Berlin, Germany's theft capital, only just under 4 per cent of thefts are solved each year. But that could soon change. More and more manufacturers are presenting electronic anti-theft systems that provide the police with crucial tips for recovering stolen bikes. Some systems seem so secure that manufacturers are confidently guaranteeing their customers recovery or offering replacements if they are unsuccessful.
This astonishing turnaround is of course primarily due to the energy supply that e-bikes carry with them at all times thanks to their battery. Energy is one of the prerequisites for networking and localisation.
localisation. This means that e-bikes have arrived in the Internet of Things, they can communicate with other devices, share their location or transmit their current status. This means that an invisible electronic fence can be drawn around the e-bike, for example, and the smartphone sounds an alarm via an app connected to the bike if it is left without authorisation. Or the bike can use sensors to detect suspicious vibrations caused by tools being broken into or carried away.
The entire article with all the information on theft protection is available as a PDF in the download area below:
- System comparison: Factory protection from Haibike, Bosch-Lock, Riese & Müller
- System comparison: protection for retrofitting
- Tips: Insurance, bike pass app
