onceLabs and Bauer Products Debut Industry’s First Bluetooth Channel Sounding RV Lock at CES 2026
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – At CES 2026, Bauer Products, founded in 1958 and recognized as a leading supplier of RV, trailer, and truck security solutions, announced the debut of the industry’s first RV lock powered by Bluetooth Channel Sounding, the Bauer NE-CS, according to a press release. For 15 years, Bauer has set the benchmark for secure access, initially introducing proprietary keyless entry solutions and then switching to Bluetooth LE in industry-preferred keyless entry handles and latches.
This latest innovation builds on that legacy, delivering enhanced convenience and security for RV owners with the next generation of Bluetooth technology. The Bauer NE-CS brings together expertise from onceLabs, Nordic Semiconductor, Raytac, and Metirionic—spanning software, silicon, modules, and signal processing—to deliver the industry’s first Bluetooth Channel Sounding based RV lock. Live demonstrations of the lock interacting with a Google Pixel 10 smartphone will be featured this week at CES 2026, with full details provided below.
“Our customers expect innovation, convenience, and uncompromising security from our products,” said Bruce Bacon, Co-Owner and President of Engineering, Bauer Products. “With the Bauer NE-CS, Bauer continues to advance RV and trailer access solutions, now with Bluetooth Channel Sounding and backward compatibility supporting Bluetooth app-based locking/unlocking. We are proud to have worked with strong industry partners — especially onceLabs, whose long-term support has been instrumental — to bring this breakthrough capability to market.”
Bluetooth Channel Sounding was first introduced within the Bluetooth SIG in 2018, with foundational work dating back to 2014. It was formally published as part of the Bluetooth 6.0 specification in June 2024, establishing Channel Sounding as a key functionality for secure access and high-accuracy distance measurement. Today, Bluetooth technology ships in more than five billion devices annually, underscoring its global reach and the significance of this new capability.
“Bluetooth Channel Sounding introduces secure, fine-ranging capabilities to Bluetooth technology, enabling true distance awareness and unlocking a world of possibilities for developers,” said Chuck Sabin, VP of Technology and Market Development at the Bluetooth SIG. “We are excited to see the collaborative efforts of member companies, including Bauer, in bringing innovative access control solutions leveraging Bluetooth Channel Sounding to market. CES 2026 provides the perfect stage to showcase these advancements.
Bauer has relied on industry-leading Nordic Semiconductor chipsets for years and is excited to leverage their latest solution, the ultra-low-power wireless nRF54L15 SoC, which in addition to being power efficient, delivers on the promise of Channel Sounding.
“As a leader in low power wireless connectivity solutions, we are thrilled to see Bauer continue their market leadership by being one of the first product companies to feature Channel Sounding,” said Andre Harris, Business Development Manager for Partnerships at Nordic Semiconductor. “This achievement reflects not only Bauer’s vision but also the collaborative strength of Nordic, Design, Module, and Solution Partners like onceLabs, Raytac, and Metirionic, working together to drive adoption and advance secure access.”
The announcement reflects nearly a decade of partnership between Bauer Products and onceLabs, spanning ideation, roadmap planning, product design, and execution alongside outstanding partners to bring Bluetooth Channel Sounding to market.
“We thank Bauer for inviting us to be part of this enduring journey,” said Joseph Bakalor, President & CTO of onceLabs. “This milestone highlights the highly collaborative spirit we share with Nordic Semiconductor, Raytac, and Metirionic, to reduce risk and accelerate time-to- market. These trusted relationships, combined with my team’s proven expertise in embedded and mobile software, have consistently delivered, and we are proud to see them culminate in
Bauer’s vision becoming reality.”
The Bauer NE-CS came to be in record speed through close collaboration among four technology leaders. onceLabs and Nordic Semiconductor have been long‐standing partners in Bauer’s journey along with Raytac which continues to provide quality modules. Raytac’s recently introduced AN54LQ‐15 series integrates Nordic’s next-generation nRF54L15 SoC with Metirionic’s advanced Channel Sounding algorithms to ensure reliable hardware and stellar performance. This design enables the lock to operate as both a Channel Sounding initiator and reflector, strengthening security and integrity. Metirionic’s Advanced Ranging Stack (MARS) transforms raw radio measurements into high‐accuracy distance calculations by computing the Channel Impulse Response (CIR), enabling secure access even in the most challenging multipath environments. Together, these partners bring the lock’s breakthrough technology to life, combining hardware, software, and signal‐processing expertise into a market reality.
Live Demonstration at CES
The Bauer NE-CS RV Lock, interacting with a Google Pixel 10 device, will be showcased during CES. The demonstration highlights seamless interoperability with consumer devices and delivers high-accuracy proximity performance. Attendees can experience the Bauer NE-CS at the Nordic Semiconductor booth (#52039, Venetian Expo, Halls A–D), with additional private suite demonstrations taking place throughout the week.
For those not attending CES, a recorded demo is available here: https://bauerproducts.com/products/bauer-ne-cs