Stolen e-bike batteries could be made worthless if Bosch was less greedy

[Aushiker]

Electric bikes built around Bosch’s smart drive systems will be getting a new digital Battery Lock function this summer that would make stolen batteries worthless to thieves looking to make a quick buck. Great idea — if only Bosch wasn’t being so greedy with the rollout.

More in the Verge article.

 

[Chargeride]

Thats like selling a thousand house alarms, but they only work if the customer pays a monthly fee and hope thieves wont take the risk.
Great until the subscription base gets leaked onto the net.

 

[harryS]

Comes with a key fob that will be $400 to replace if it falls out of your shorts when riding?

 

[Aushiker]

Comes with a key fob that will be $400 to replace if it falls out of your shorts when riding?

Not sure where you are getting that idea from. The article refers only to a digital lock.

 

[Tom@WashDC]

I could see them charging a one time fee to upgrade your battery, but a subscription? I would stay away from a corporation with that kind of morality.

 

[Roamers]

Why is making a profit with optional features considered greed?

Seems like a no-brainer; it's either worth the price (do it) or not worth the price (don't do it.)

What in commerce is different than this?

I don't see a benefit to software subscriptions so use pre-subscription Adobe and Microsoft products.

 

[m@Robertson]

Why is making a profit with optional features considered greed?

Seems like a no-brainer; it's either worth the price (do it) or not worth the price (don't do it.)

What in commerce is different than this?

^^^ this exactly. Myself, I cannot see a benefit in paying for a theft-proof battery that doesn't prevent theft. It prevents use, but the value in the theft-proofing lies in the thief knowing (or believing ) that the battery cannot be used after they take it (or break it) off your bike.

I don't see a benefit to software subscriptions so use pre-subscription Adobe and Microsoft products.

Amen to this in spades. I am doing exactly the same thing. I had an Adobe Acrobat Pro subscription that I was more or less forced to buy and Adobe wanted farking $300 a year to keep it going. On top of the $300+ I paid when I 'bought' the software. I have an old version of Actobat Distiller on a server that came out before Adobe changed the license to demand single-user use, and that Distiller is still working just fine something like a dozen years later.

Don't get me started on the cash grab that is Office 360. No. Way.

 

[Gionnirocket]

This bs is for the Specialized and alike that live in the I have something special world and beieve the brochure and LBS blindly.
They've already overpaid for everything else so why not add on a "let's see how gullable they really are" tax.

 

[6zfshdb]

Unless I'm missing something, this Bosch digital lock could cause more harm than good.

A thief doesn't know, and won't care if the battery he steals is "E-locked" The theft victim is still left without a battery and maybe a busted mount. The thief doesn't want the battery for himself. He will sell or hock it, and an unsuspecting buyer will discover it won't work in his bike. It isn't clear if permanent damage to the bike will result. Many "save a buck" buyers will likely suffer.

I understand the idea here is to discourage the buying & selling of used Bosch batteries but it relies on the fact that thieves, pawn shops and buyers will not touch used Bosch batteries. Not likely to happen IMO.

Many will disagree and I respect that but IMO, this idea is just more proprietary marketing and another reason to stay away from Bosch products. YMMV.

 

[Roamers]

Many "save a buck" buyers will likely suffer.

School of hard knocks. If it's to good to be true, it's a bad idea.