Estonian startup Äike has today launched a remote smart-unlock system for e-scooters.
The mobile app feature unlocks and locks the Äike e-scooter automatically via Bluetooth once the user’s phone is in range.
Smart-lock is available with Äike’s newest model, the Äike T.
“Making the user experience as easy as possible is the key to transitioning more people to micromobility,” Kristjan Maruste, CEO and Founder of Äike and Kōu Mobility Group, told Zag Daily. “And this feature is about as easy to use as it gets.”
Public key authentication guarantees that smart-lock is only triggered when the owner is using it, said the firm. The new feature is also integrated into the scooter’s existing IoT module, which is encrypted to take commands only from the phone of its owner.
For further security, the primary owner can share the user rights of their e-scooter with a trusted friend or family member. This creates a second device that can track the scooter’s GPS in real time, disable the smart-lock and report a theft – all through the app.
“Our smart-lock ensures next-level security as the specific Äike scooter can be used only by its permitted owner,” said Maruste. “A stolen scooter for example is useless as it can never be ridden – Äike only responds to its owner’s encrypted commands.”
The new Äike T is available for pre-order in Europe, the UK and the United States.
