Social Bikes: GPS-Tracked, Phone-Controlled Rides in NYC

The Social Bicycle System (SoBi) turns bike-sharing on its head, and is set to test in New York City this fall. Instead of big, central base-stations from which the bikes must be taken and returned, the SoBi puts all the tech on the bike itself. Here?s how it works:
The service consists of three parts. First, the SoBi unit which clamps to the bike and contains a GPS unit, a cellular device and a honking-great lock. Second is the SoBi server, and third is you or, more specifically, your cellphone.
Once registered, you can use your phone to track down a bike on a map. This may be locked to a regular bike-rack or at a designated base-station (yup, there are base-stations, but you don?t have to use them). Once you find a bike, you unlock it with your phone and ride away. If you don?t have a smart enough phone, you can just punch an unlock code into the unit or unlock it via SMS.

Because of the GPS and cellular connectivity, the server can authorize you and also always know where the bikes are. It will also allow you to track yourself, totting up the calories you burn as you avoid the legendary NYC pot-holes.
The bikes have some extras. If your bike is broken, hit the ?repair? button and the bike will be flagged for pick-up. And what if you pop into the liquor store and come out to find another SoBi user has already taken off on ?your? bike? There?s a ?hold? button. which gives you ten minutes after locking the bike before it goes live again.
SoBi founder Ryan Rzepecki says that the startup costs are a fraction of those using traditional infrastructure-based systems, like the Velib in Paris of Bicing in Barcelona. Rzepecki says that these cost around $3,000 to $4,000 per bike to set up. SoBi costs less than $1,000 per bike.
The testing of the lock is the next part of the scheme. And we probably don?t have to point out that, being in New York, the lock is probably the most important part of the whole bike.
SoBi [Social Bicycles via Crunch Gear]
See Also:
Bicing: (Almost) Free Cycling in Barcelona, Spain
Urban Transport Scheme Uses Street Lamps to Charge Scooters ?
Rent Bikes Via Cellphone in Germany
Bike Sharing Comes to Silicon Valley
Where Are the Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities in the World?
NYC Mayor: I'd Ban Bikes on Subways
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