Theft Deturrent - Why Doesn't RAD integrate Tile/AirTag in the controller board

[SoCalRADRider]

I've seen quite a few ebike thefts in my area, one of mine was included.   

I have switched to hardened u-bar locks now, PLUS I hid a Tile tracker on my bike. 

Q - Why doesn't RAD embed a Tile & AirTag circuit on the controller circuit boards?  It would make RAD's MUCH harder to steal. Other electronic device makers like Dell, Intel, and Plantronics are already doing this:  https://www.tile.com/find-tile

If they were integrated into the circuit board and difficult to remove without damaging the bike, that would GREATLY increase recovery and would discourage thefts. I would happily pay an extra $20 or even $40 to have the feature.  Would this be helpful to others?

[Eric7]

I think the answer is that people buy bikes based on performance and price, and thief deterrence does not even enter into the equation. Therefore, any manufacturer who spends money on thief deterrence will have less competitive bikes, less profits, and may even go out of business.

People sue companies because the tags can be used for stalking and the same would apply to a bike. If the advertised tags are not working, the consumer can request a refund of the whole bike. There is no appreciation for putting a tracker on a bike and a company may even be sued for violating privacy by tracking their users. And then there would be the issue of how come only Apple or only Androids are supported? Or why someone without a phone has to buy it?

It would be nothing but trouble. The money can be better spent on a fancy headlight, a bigger battery, or hydraulic brakes.

[ElectricRides]

There are a million reasons for Rad not to do it and only a few advantages for them to implement it.

Even with their "plus" series, Rad is an economy/budget ebike brand and I don't see that changing. The GPS tracker functionality has typically been a feature that premium or higher-end ebikes would have.

I agree though, it would be nice if Rad started adding more quality-of-life features like smartphone app functionality and such, but with their financial troubles in 2022 (which will be carrying over to 2023) I don't expect that many new superfluous bells and whistles being added to their bikes anytime soon, sadly.

But otherwise, bike thieves are trash.

[Goosecreek]

Most tags can be found by individuals who are looking for them.

[nextcity]

Like Segway is doing?

[Ishy]

You would then need to have an option between apple or Android when ordering plus the licencing fees and many other crazy costs I'm sure Samsung and Apple would charge per bike🙈.    Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if it added an extra $500 to each bike.

The other issue is if you have one in your shed or somewhere hidden like your trunk then anyone can do that tag check and find it.

Its a double edged sword.   Personally I just remove everything valuable ie battery and accessories.   Then I use 3 U locks and a cable Lock.   Takes 5 mins but it's worth every second spent for that comfort