For work, school or play, personal mobility devices like e-scooters have become part of our daily routine. Offering a solution to the problem of last-mile transportation, micromobility vehicles also help decongest our cities with their convenience and more sustainable credentials.
But as the market for these devices has boomed, their portability and cost has also made them attractive targets for thieves. Czech startup Pealock aims to address this issue, with a smart electronic lock designed to secure everything from scooters to bicycles.
For Founder Marek Vala, Pealock is about bringing smarter security to the personal mobility device market. By mitigating theft as a key risk in using micromobility vehicles like bicycles and scooters, smarter locks could encourage people to leave their cars behind and get out and about on less polluting modes of transport.
Sporting inspiration
While Pealock’s design and construction was informed by Vala’s experience in the automotive industry, the inspiration to create the lock came from an unfortunate personal experience.
As a former professional skier, Vala is used to carrying expensive sports equipment around on the slopes. But once, after returning to the ski rack he was surprised to find that his skis had been stolen, and his insurance company refused to cover the loss.
“We thought that thanks to a specialised insurance policy for sports equipment, it would not be a total loss, but since the skis were not locked, we did not receive a single crown from the insurance company,” he explains. “I thought this shouldn’t be possible. After all, you never leave your mobile phone, which costs the same as a new pair of skis unattended, right? But with skis, this is common.”
So, Vala turned his frustration into determination to come up with a new product. And though his initial intention was to create a lock solely to secure ski equipment his idea quickly grew, and the device has been cleverly designed for adaptability.
Launched in 2020 following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Pealock’s device combines hardware and software to keep your belongings safe. The product’s unique design gained international attention right away. In 2020, right after Pealock was launched, the startup won the coveted Design Concept category at the Red Dot Awards, an international product and industrial design competition.
With the second generation of the device, the startup has developed the concept further. Pealock now features a GPS module, motion sensor, alarm system and integrated insurance option available on the app itself. This second iteration also boasts a significant improvement in the battery life of the device, lasting up to 20 hours longer than the first-generation device.
Built and assembled in Czechia and backed by EIT Urban Mobility, the startup is now focused on further international expansion after winning customers in around half a dozen European countries.
Convenient companion
No ordinary lock, Vala drew on his experience in the automotive industry to build Pealock to be as difficult as possible to steal, even for the most inventive thief.
The smart device can alert users of tampering via notifications sent directly to their phones by Bluetooth. If users are out of Bluetooth range the device is able to automatically use the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Network to call your phone. And with the system’s GPS function Pealock users can also track location and status via map on their app.
The technology goes further, to ensure that users are not constantly pestered by mobile notifications triggered by the device’s inbuilt motion sensor. The Pealock app provides the option to set an alarm delay, so the odd bump won’t set it off, and the alarm will stop when the device is stationary for five seconds.
Locking and unlocking is made simple thanks to a button in the mobile app, and extra security can be added with an included near-field communication (NFC) card, enabling use without a smartphone. Built for the durability that bikes and other sport or mobility vehicles require, the lock is able to withstand harsh conditions and the strap, that locks around the item is steel, with an alarm-connected wire for added security.
Strong yet compact and lightweight, Pealock is designed to be easily carried in a jacket pocket to make it a portable companion wherever you go. Vala’s long-term vision isfor Pealock to become a standard on the market for keeping sports equipment and personal mobility devices secure.
Jan Hauser, Manager of Impact Ventures in Eastern Europe at EIT Urban Mobility explains, “Pealock prioritises intelligent functions over heavy materials to deter theft. At EIT Urban Mobility, we can only endorse this approach because we’ve observed that in many European cities, the fear of not knowing how to secure their belongings upon reaching their destination deters citizens from biking, walking with a stroller, or using micromobility devices.”
The device’s increased security aims to reduce the fear of theft that often goes hand in hand with utilising micromobility vehicles in the city. With greater ease of mind, the hope is that more and more people will adopt cycling or scootering; making a positive contribution to the future of sustainable urban mobility.
