Brose sets standards for e-bikes through advanced IoT and app technology

Optimized e-bike experience through IoT integration & app

With the "Brose Connectivity Framework", we enable the integration of relevant real-time data and functions of the drive unit into the Brose app and the apps of its OEM partners.

About Brose

Excellence in Mechatronics

Brose is the world's fourth-largest family-owned automotive supplier. The company develops and manufactures mechatronic systems for vehicle doors and seats as well as electric motors and electronics, for steering, brakes, transmissions and engine cooling, among other things. Every year, Brose supplies the automotive industry with around 200 million electric motors. However, the family business has also transferred its know-how to the eBike. Brose engineers have designed an innovative drive system for electric bikes that has been produced in Berlin since 2014. Development, sales, marketing and production of the drives are bundled at the eBike Competence Center there. More than 50 manufacturers worldwide already trust Brose's eBike drives.

IoT-Integration

As is already the case with brake and shift groups, when it comes to eBike motors, many bicycle brand manufacturers (OEMs) use established components from specialized suppliers such as Brose in particular. As these components are increasingly controlled electronically, there is a growing requirement to access operating data and drive unit functions in real time. The goal is to enable control via the manufacturer's electronics or apps.

Integrations like this are usually very complex and error-prone, especially in life cycle management, such as updates. In addition, OEM manufacturers are increasingly offering their own apps for monitoring and control, which should also contain the data and functions of the drive unit.

In this context, Brose Drive Technology has developed a Bluetooth®-enabled firmware for batteries and drives, thereby laying the foundation for the Brose IoT vision. OEM partners thus have the option of connecting the drive units for their respective areas of application.

App Framework

As an IoT integrator, we have created a connectivity framework for Brose that provides the necessary building blocks for realizing the Brose IoT vision. This includes, above all, the development of the required app framework and a corresponding cloud backend infrastructure.

Functionally, the app framework not only ensures the Bluetooth® connection to the eBike and the cloud, but also maps a sophisticated, secure user management. The cloud backend was implemented on the basis of the scalable infrastructure of Microsoft Azure. Connected to a cloud or apps, this results in a wide range of options for OEMs.

These include, for example, the data-driven enhancement of components and eBikes, a convenient readout and control of motor characteristics via app, or numerous usage-based service apps for dealers and end customers.

Smart eBike, smart App

The Brose e-bike app developed by grandcentrix goes ahead as an example for the use of the app SDK. Every owner of an eBike with a Brose drive unit can use it. This way, even manufacturers who cannot offer their own app can provide their users with an extended range of functions. Developed natively for iOS and Android, the app benefits from our years of experience of app development and user experience design conception. In addition to basic functions such as recording rides, users can make changes and adjustments to the support level of the drive unit and compile their own individual dashboard.

More about App Development

Our connection and integration of the drive unit provides the app frameworks with the necessary ride data and transmits it in real time to the user's smartphone.

Adjustments to certain parameters - such as the support strength of the drive unit - can be easily and flexibly adjusted by the user directly from his smartphone and transmitted to the drive unit.

Technical Highlights

App Frameworks

iOS and Android frameworks for easy use and documentation of interfaces for OEM partners.

Bluetooth® Communications

Implementation of Bluetooth® communication for read and write access to the drive units.

User Configurations

Drive units can be customized by the users.

Azure IoT Cloud Platform

Cloud solution with connection to the Brose Service Tool bike management.