Yamaha snares smart boat tech start-up Siren Marine

Yamaha announced earlier this year that it would become a strategic investor in Siren Marine, which creates smart boat hardware and software that allows boat owners to remotely check on the welfare of their boat.

This includes everything from battery levels to how much water is in the bilge, and even the status of shore power when the boat is laid up at the marina.

Today’s announcement means Siren Marine will become part of Yamaha and work with the Japanese company to roll out its suite of products for Yamaha customers. 

Siren Marine is also big in boat security. Part of its suite of tools are systems that can remotely detect if someone has boarded a boat and alert the owner, and if it is stolen, show in real-time where the boat is headed.

The move is part of Yamaha’s commitment to connecting its outboard engines to the so-called Internet of Things, a new generation of wirelessly connected devices ranging from fridges that can alert you to pick up some milk on the way home to smart cars that can remotely open their boots so a courier can drop off a parcel.

The technology is suitable for everything from outboard-engined boats to jet skis and sports cruisers.

Yamaha said it bought Siren Marine because its customers wanted “an integrated, connected boating experience”.

A Yamaha Motor Australia spokesman said the launch of Helm Master EX – a joystick controller for single-engine boats – was part of the brand's focus on system integrations aimed at giving boaters more information and control over how they used their boats.

"System integration is a key focus for Yamaha going forward," the spokesman said. "This acquisition will help Yamaha to continue this system integration beyond power management to third party devices, taking the Yamaha outboard boating experience to the next level.

"We expect to see these technologies filter through to the Australian market in coming years."