Japanese bicycle parts maker Shimano has indicated that it plans to launch an artificial intelligence-backed gear-shifting system for cyclists next year.
Shimano recently invited people in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward to test bikes equipped with the Q’Auto gear shifter, reported Nikkei Asia.
The Q’Auto system consists of a wheel hub that contains a chip, the shifting mechanism and 11-speed gears.
The Q’Auto system customises the tempo and speeds based on the rider’s habits. The AI comes programmed with various bike riding patterns memorised from the test ride data.
As part of the machine learning process, the AI also reportedly learns from the speeds and the inclines taken by a bike rider in order to choose the right gears at the right time.
Electric bikes, or e-bikes, are popular options for daily commuting as the electric motor assists with the propulsion.
The advantage of Q’Auto is that there is an assisted propulsion mechanism, similar to e-bikes, but without the added weight of a lithium-ion battery.
Shimano is expected to supply the Q’Auto technology bundled with pedals and brakes mainly to Western and Taiwanese bike manufacturers. The first Q’Auto bikes are expected to hit the market as early as 2025.
Shimano’s consolidated sales for 2023 dropped 25 per cent to 474.3 billion yen (A$4.77 billion). The company is believed to now control around 70 per cent of the global share in components for high-end bicycles.
“We can’t break Bosch’s hold in e-bikes,” said Deputy President Takashi Toyoshima, who heads development at Shimano. But “in terms of having a lightweight feel and being easy to ride, Q’Auto bikes stand a chance.”
Bicycles with Q’Auto are expected to be priced at just under 200,000 yen (A$2,022). Large-scale production could bring those prices down.
As the demand for cycling components cooled off from the pandemic boom, Shimano decreased the production at its main plant in Sakai, near Osaka.
That reduction in production allowed the company to focus on R&D for future products such as Q’Auto. It presented “a good opportunity to rethink manufacturing practices at Sakai,” said Yozo Shimano, the company’s chairman and CEO. “We’ll combine the intelligence of Japanese manufacturing to produce amazing new products.”
Shimano’s plans to compete with the e-bikes segment come as several e-bikes are flooding the Australian market. For example, in July, commercial drone manufacturer DJI confirmed that it is stepping into the e-bike market with the launch of an all-new brand called Amflow. The carbon fibre Amflow PL electric mountain bike will be available from authorised dealers in Australia and other markets including Germany and the UK, before the end of this year.
