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Case Study | Corratec E-Bike Tracking
A glance at the smartphone reveals to the mountain biker taking a break in the beer garden: the high-quality bike is still in the same place where it was parked. The more expensive the bike, the more reassuring it is to know that it can be tracked, especially if it is out of sight. The southern German bike manufacturer IKO Sportartikel Handels GmbH, known for its premium brand corratec and distributed worldwide, makes it easy for its customers to find their bike quickly using an integrated module. Owners locate the lost item via the Apple Find My network. The expertise of KATHREIN Solutions was required for this innovative tracking system to be used in almost all corratec e-bikes. A project as sporty as a mountain bike race.
INDUSTRY: Bicycle manufacturer
About Use Case
Localization of e-bikes via the Apple Find-My network
Key Benefits
- Finding your own bike
- Based on the Apple Find My network
- No separate server architecture required
- Cost-optimized solution with BLE technology
- Smart functions via OTA (Over the Air) updates
- Direct power supply via the e-bike battery
KATHREIN SERVICES
Development of a transponder adapted to the installation space with a transponder antenna matched to the bicycle frame.
PARTNER BENEFITS
The integration was carried out by KATHREIN Solutions at the customer's request.
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Track and Trace of e-bikes supported by Apple Find My network
"The decision to work with KATHREIN was based on the historical connection between the two companies and the knowledge of KATHREIN's many years of expertise in the development of antennas and electronics."
- Jochen Vogt, COO, Managing Director of IKO Sportartikel Handels GmbH
Take the best trail
As both the energy consumption of conventional tracking solutions on the market and the running costs for GPS via eSIM were quite high, the sporting goods manufacturer IKO was looking for a completely different approach. The aim was to set itself apart from the competition with an alternative solution and to make the tracking module more attractive to the end customer in terms of efficiency and costs. Of course, usability also played an important role for the user when locating the object. Therefore, only a solution via a smartphone app was considered in order to offer customers the greatest possible, intuitive convenience.
Integration into the Apple Find My network
As there was already a device localization app on the market with high user acceptance, IKO decided to use the Apple Find My app. Originally developed to keep track of various Apple devices (even offline), the localization of bikes via the same application promised a high level of customer benefit. For the bike manufacturer IKO, it was of strategic importance that Apple could offer the end customer free localization of the e-bike within the worldwide Apple Find My network.
From the idea to a marketable c-Finder
In close coordination, an interdisciplinary team of IKO and KATHREIN specialists developed a prototype in just a few months after the initial brainstorming and concept phase. Ultimately, the management wanted to present the solution under the name c-Finder in the first 2024 e-bike models. Before the launch of the c-Finder, the development samples were extensively tested in various corratec models. At the same time, measurements were carried out in KATHREIN's in-house test laboratory.
The e-bike tracker (transponder) is fully integrated in the motor cover area of the bike and is powered by the e-bike's battery during the normal charging process. It can therefore be used by the end customer over the entire life cycle of the bike. The tracker also has its own battery, which ensures operation for up to one year without recharging.
The Apple Find My network - consisting of over one billion Apple devices - provides an easy and secure way to locate compatible personal items with the Find My app on iPhone, iPad, Mac or with the Find Items app on Apple Watch. The Find My network is anonymous and uses advanced encryption so that no one - not even Apple, IKO Sportartikel Handels GmbH/corratec, Kathrein Solutions or the motorcycle/bicycle manufacturers - can see the location of the items being searched for. The Find My network's accessory program allows third-party vendors to build search features into their products, as with c-Finder, so users can access Apple's Find My app to locate and track important items even when they are not nearby.
Technically sophisticated
For the project, KATHREIN developed and designed a special antenna that also works in the metal bicycle frame with maximum detection range in accordance with Apple specifications and communicates securely with the Apple Find My app. The newly developed antenna ensures symmetrical reception performance. After extensive testing, the KATHREIN development team realized the successful interaction between antenna, electronics and the mechanics in the bicycle frame.
For corratec, KATHREIN took over the technical communication and all coordination with the team at Apple to fulfill their requirements, such as mechanical accessibility of the tracker, functions for pairing and unpairing as well as firmware updates. Extreme outdoor temperatures and strong vibrations placed high demands on the tracker: it had to be waterproof and shock-resistant. The IP55 class was therefore set as the standard.
Benefits for retailers and end customers
With the c-Finder, the corratec brand offers its e-bike customers the certainty of finding their bike again if it is lost. Dealers are given yet another quality feature as a sales argument: worldwide tracking of their own bikes via the Apple Find My network. And true to the corratec motto "We are young, wild and free", the end customer can enjoy their bike without any worries.
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