Bike rental startup Vogo applies for six utility patents

Vogo Automotive, which operates an eponymous dockless bike rentals service, on Wednesday said that it has applied for six utility patents for technology innovation in two-wheelers, in 2020.

With the development, the company said it has a total of seven utility patents pending.

The Bengaluru-based startup, in a statement, said that it has already secured two design registration certificates for anti fuel-siphoning devices for vehicles and restyle locks.

Since its inception in 2016, Vogo has released several technology driven features for its scooters, including Vogo heartbeat, global positioning system (GPS) tracking, keyless scooters and one-click ride booking.

The artificial intelligence, machine learning and internet of things (IoT)-enabled features, Vogo said, have culminated to a unique compression algorithm-based solution that not only saved data cost its fleets but also helped with the GPS tracking of the fleets and helmet.

The company said it has witnessed a strong month-on-month recovery post the Covid-19 lockdown, adding that it has registered 30% growth in the past few months and retrieved over 70% of its pre-lockdown business.

The company’s patent and design registration portfolio currently includes anti-siphoning devices, keyless connected vehicle system, GPS data compression algorithm, key-based lock to keyless conversion mechanism, and optimized location and tracking algorithm to save battery in a petrol scooter, the statement said.

“We have a strong and talented technology team of experts who has been helping us explore the new aspects of technology that can be tailored for the mobility industry. We are confident that we will keep pioneering our innovations in technology to be a leader in the personal mobility space,” Vogo co-founder and CTO Sanchit Mittal said.                                                                     

Founded by Mittal, Anand Ayyadurai, and Padmanabhan Balakrishnan, Vogo has a presence in Bengaluru and Hyderabad with 3 million registered users. It claims to have served over 10 million rides, covering about 130 million kilometers so far.

The company has raised over $78 million in funding so far, as per data on VCCEdge. Its investors include LGT Lightstone, Matrix Partners, Stellaris Venture Partners, Kalaari and Ola.