Nextbike Uses RFID to Simplify Bicycle Rentals

For several years, Nextbike, a bicycle-rental system provider based in Leipzig, Germany, has been using Near Field Communication (NFC) RFID tags to identify bikes docked at its stations, and to provide authorized users with access to those bicycles. With RFID tags embedded in its bikes, the company can confirm not only that a bike is authentic before its locking mechanism is engaged, but also that a bicycle has been returned on time, explains Sebastian Schlebusch, Nextbike's director of international business development. Users can also employ smart cards with built-in NFC tags to access bikes.