«THE UPDATED APP IS SMARTER, MORE CONNECTED, BETTER»
It’s been two years since we launched the FIT E-Bike Control app as a link for connecting the e-bike to the digital world. Back then, the app was already impressive with its numerous digital functions – from the «Drive Screen» and the «Geo Range» range indicator to safety features such as the «Digital Key» electronic immobilizer.
At the beginning of August, our app was given a comprehensive update. We talked to FIT project manager Luigi Di Feo about the new app and its features, the latest developments in e-bike apps and his duties as our E-Bike app product manager.
Luigi, FIT has recently released a major update for the FIT E-Bike Control app. Can you tell us about the most important new features?
Of course! At the beginning of August, we released an update with many new features. The highlight is certainly the offline use which makes it possible to connect the e-bike without a network connection. For example, users can now unlock or lock their e-bikes offline with the FIT Digital Key. In addition, there are other important updates – for example, the individual adjustment of the assistance levels and their torque for Panasonic motors and Pinion MGU drive. The detailed route information with the extensions of Sigma GPS bicycle computers is also worth mentioning. The navigation on the display and the app with Komoot’s turn-by-turn navigation has also been improved.
Let’s start with offline mode. What happens if a user loses the Internet during navigation?
A great advantage of our app is that navigation continues even without the Internet. This can be a problem with many solutions especially in remote places. We have therefore revised the navigation so that it now shows the route up to the point where it is loaded. Of course, it doesn’t work endlessly, but in most cases, it’s a way to survive parts of the route without Internet access.
You also mentioned the new set-up settings specifically for Panasonic motors and Pinion MGU. What features are available here?
Both Panasonic and Pinion MGU users can now adjust the modes of the motor precisely to their needs in the app. In Easy mode (also available for Brose), they choose between range and assistance. In Expert mode, each support level and thus both the support ratio and the maximum torque can be set completely individually. This means that the app offers the same options that are also displayed on the classic e-bike display. A special aspect here is the pushing aid, which can be adjusted from 3 to 6 km/h (Panasonic) or 4 to 6 km/h (Brose).
What are other important features that a modern e-bike app needs to master?
One of the main requirements is that users can adjust the motor settings and fine-tune the motor. Our Drive Screen feature, where you can use your phone as a bicycle computer, is also very popular. Via Bluetooth, the step-by-step directions are conveniently displayed on the display, so you can leave your smartphone in your pocket. At the end of the day, however, most users are looking for a stable and reliable app. After all, no one wants an app that crashes at regular intervals.
As a project manager, you are responsible for the app at FIT. Could you tell us something about your everyday working life?
I have been the product owner of the FIT E-Bike app since May 2022, i.e. about a year and a half. This means that the app was already around when I started. So I have been concentrating on refining the app since I started here: Incorporating or improving functions desired by users. Of course, it’s not just the idea and the implementation – the job also entails lots of tests to find the optimal settings.
You said at the beginning that wireless over-the-air updating is not yet feasible. Is that something we can look forward to in the future? And what future visions do you have for the FIT E-Bike app in general?
I think that the issue of connectivity will play an increasingly important role in the future. At some point, for example, the e-bike could be permanently connected to the Internet and become completely smart. The display could become superfluous, since almost everyone has a smartphone. The app could also automatically open and connect to your bicycle as soon as you set off – without any additional interaction. But that is actually still science fiction. The latest version of the FIT E-Bike Control app clearly shows where the journey is headed.
Luigi, thank you very much for the interview!
Learn more about the features of the FIT E-Bike Control app:
31.10.2023