TECHNOLOGY FOR CHANGE

New Yorkers to Get High-Tech, GPS-Enabled Bike-Sharing Program

Rebecca Kutzer-Rice | Date: 08-19-10 | Comments

Bike-sharing programs have been picking up speed around the globe, and a new high-tech system is about to take to the NYC streets. The Social Bike System is equipped with GPS and cellular connections to make bike sharing easy and convenient.

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New Yorkers to Get High-Tech, GPS-Enabled Bike-Sharing Program
We first blogged about bike-sharing programs a few months ago, with an article on B-cycle, a Denver-based program. B-cycle allows users to pick up bikes from central locations and track stats like mileage and time. A much more high-tech version of bike sharing is about to hit the streets of New York City. Called the Social Bike System (SoBi), this program puts all of the technology onto the bike itself and eliminates the need for bike centers.

Each bike in the system is equipped with a heavy-duty lock, a GPS unit and a cellular device that directly contacts the SoBi server. To locate a bike�which could be on any bike rack in the city�a registered user simply uses his or her cell phone. Once a bike is chosen, the user can request it several different ways: by sending a text message, using the smartphone app, calling an automated phone number or simply entering their code onto the bike's keypad. SoBi will send the user's cell phone a confirmation PIN, which unlocks the bike.

The SoBi bike system lets users request bikes using their smartphones (source: SoBi).

Like the Denver-based bike-sharing system, SoBi enables users to track statistics like mileage, carbon footprint and even calories burned. But the NYC bikes will be equipped with some additional user-friendly features. For example, each bike is outfitted with a "repair" button that users can press in the event a bike is broken. The button alerts the server, which sends a repairman to pick up the bike. Bikes also have "hold" buttons that let bikers park their rides and reserve them for 10 minutes�say, to run inside a coffee shop and grab your favorite soft drink. The smartphone application enables cyclists to plug into social networks and see if any friends are biking nearby.

Next: Bikes Equipped with Safety, Utility Features >>