Taiga Motors, the Canadian manufacturer of electric off-road vehicles and watercraft, has launched a new vehicle operating system that introduces the ‘industry’s first geofencing capability for electric personal watercraft and snowmobiles’, which allows operators to automatically control vehicle speeds in designated areas.
The technology tackles a growing challenge for rental operators and recreational waterways: how to give riders greater freedom while managing speed, safety and access around busy shorelines, tourist areas and environmentally sensitive zones.
Geofencing adds safety measure for personal watercraft
The new operating system introduces inbuilt mapping and industry-first geofencing technology designed to improve rider safety and how vehicles access waterways and trails beyond the road.
The geofencing capability offers more control in designated areas.
- Custom speed-limited zones: According to Taiga, vehicle owners and fleet managers can – for the first time – define custom geofenced zones where the watercraft or snowmobile will automatically govern its speed. This ensures safer operations for new riders and enables rental operators to easily draw custom zones and self-guided routes away from shorelines and potential hazards.
- Environmental & access protection: To further protect access to waterways, trails and natural habitats, Taiga can work with local communities to implement manufacturer-set geofences. These automatically enforce safe, low-speed travel when riders approach sensitive ecological zones, wildlife habitats, or busy tourist areas and shorelines.
“Our mission goes beyond simply being electric; it’s fundamentally improving how riders interact with the outdoors and communities around them,” says Gabriel Bernatchez, CTO of Taiga. “With our industry-first geofencing, we are giving owners and fleet operators an unprecedented tool to automatically manage speeds in high-traffic and sensitive zones to provide silent, zero emission and safer riding experiences.”
Integrated navigation and future roadmap
Alongside geofencing, the new system introduces inbuilt mapping, allowing riders to navigate trails and waterways with precision directly from the vehicle’s dashboard. Furthermore, this major software overhaul is designed as a foundational platform, setting the stage for continuous over-the-air updates and enhanced autonomous capabilities in the future.
The new operating system features were on display at the Monaco Yacht Show and will be rolling out to all compatible Taiga personal watercraft and snowmobile in the coming weeks via a remote software update.
In 2024, the Canadian manufacturer of electric personal watercraft was acquired by a UK electronics marine group.
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