Sigfox and BrakeForceOne subsidiary BFO Mobility cooperate in the Internet of Things
At Sigfox World IoT Expo, Sigfox and BreakeForceOne subsidiary BFO Mobility are cooperating to provide sensor-to-cloud communications for electrified vehicles such as bicycles, buggies and quad bikes as well as kick scooters and monowheels.
With Sigfox IoT technology, users of BFO Mobility solutions will, for instance, be able to track their movement data in real-time, receive predictive maintenance recommendations, send emergency alarms in the event of accidents and integrate anti-theft functions. Customers of BFO Mobility can develop completely new user experiences, service environments and fleet solutions, thereby opening up new sales potential. The cooperation was officially announced at the Sigfox World IoT Expo in Prague, where all Sigfox operators from around the world, as well as 400 business partners and 1,000 experts gathered in late September to demonstrate the momentum of Sigfox.
“Cloud-connected e-bikes are a typical example of the mass market suitability of Sigfox-based sensor- to-cloud communications. We are delighted that leading e-mobility companies such as BFO Mobility rely on Sigfox.”
— Vincent Sabot, VP Europe of Sigfox.
E-bikes and other so-called light electric vehicles (LEVs) and personal light electric vehicles (PLEVs) have great market potential and are currently experiencing enormous growth rates. Analysts predict that the e-bike market alone will reach a volume of almost 25 billion euros.
“Sigfox provides the ideal platform for connecting electrified micro mobility vehicles, their components and accessories, such as our e-bike anti-lock brake system, to the cloud. Compared to other M2M solutions for sensor-to-cloud communications, the Sigfox technology offers unique advantages in terms of cost and energy consumption. It is even suitable for regular bicycles without battery. The global scalability of Sigfox is also ideal for the growth targets we have set ourselves for our innovative product BFO_connect.”
— Dr Stefan Schwarzkopf, CTO of BFO Mobility.
The Sigfox network is currently available in 36 countries, with coverage planned to expand to 60 countries by 2018. As Sigfox’s network coverage widens, the potential target group for the innovative BFO_connect solution from BFO Mobility will also increase, with APAC representing the largest growth market.
First end-user products from BFO Mobility with Sigfox-based sensor-to-cloud communications are scheduled for launch in spring 2018. For example, BrakeForceOne’s new Flynn electric kick scooter will premiere at that date. Here, Sigfox contributes with cloud-based anti-theft protection through remote system shutdown as well as highly accurate tracking. Thanks to the long range of Sigfox, the Flynn e- scooter can be located even in cellars of buildings.
