- Volkswagen and n+ have unveiled a new range of high-end electric bikes
- It has a rearview camera and radar-based blind-spot warnings.
- Smart glasses and a connected headset complete the security ecosystem
Volkswagen has taken some of the most advanced safety features from its passenger cars and integrated them into an electric bike, unveiling what is believed to be the world’s first electric bike with an integrated rearview camera and dashboard display.
Developed in partnership with premium e-bike manufacturer n+, Volkswagen’s new licensed e-bikes are designed around the same “safety first” philosophy that has inspired the German automaker’s road cars for decades.
Rather than focusing solely on bigger batteries and more powerful motors, Volkswagen says the new range is designed to make cyclists more visible to motorists and more aware of their surroundings.
At the heart of the system is Smart View, which combines an integrated high-definition reversing camera with radar-assisted traffic monitoring.
Perfectly integrated into the handlebars, the screen receives in real time a high definition camera mounted on the rear mudguard which allows riders to see what is happening behind them without having to turn their head. At the same time, radar sensors, similar to those offered by Garmin, can also warn of approaching vehicles in a cyclist’s blind spot.
The technology is similar to camera mirror systems increasingly found in modern passenger vehicles, and the company says it could represent one of the most significant safety advances in the e-bike market in recent years.
Volkswagen and n+ have also developed a full-length bright LED strip that runs across the motorcycle’s top tube. The system acts like an automobile daytime running light, but can also illuminate red when braking and amber when turning, signaling the driver’s intentions to other road users.
An optional smart helmet can sync with the e-bike via Bluetooth, reflecting the bike’s light signals and incorporating a built-in accelerometer that can detect accidents and automatically send text messages to loved ones in the event of an emergency.
Then there are smart glasses, which are perhaps the most futuristic of all. Inspired by automotive head-up displays and developed by engineers who previously worked on fighter pilot helmet displays, the glasses can project navigation instructions, blind-spot warnings and driving information directly into the pilot’s field of vision.
Peter Jost, CEO of Volkswagen Accessories, Lifestyle and Licensing Business, said such technologies are “the best known in the automotive world” and that seeing them arrive on an e-bike demonstrates how safety systems can “evolve and be adapted significantly.”
Despite the plethora of new onboard technology, innovative e-bike prices rival those of premium competitors, with Sport models starting at £3,999 in the UK (around $5,300/AU$7,700), which include the Smart View rear view monitor. The smart headset and smart glasses cost an additional £499 (around AU$670 – AU$960) each.
Analysis: Are car safety systems the next big thing in e-bikes?
As cities become more congested and more people turn to e-bikes as an alternative to driving, safety is quickly becoming one of micromobility’s biggest battlegrounds.
While innovations in recent years have largely focused on extending range and increasing power, there has been relatively little emphasis on helping cyclists avoid accidents.
Many cycling accessory companies have developed safety solutions that help increase visibility and awareness of other vehicles, but this often requires cyclists to use impractical pieces of technology.
Integrating it seamlessly into the bike itself seems like a logical solution, and as commuters look for ever cheaper ways to get from point A to point B, these innovations could very well be the kind of innovations that persuade motorists to ditch their cars in favor of something simpler and more eco-friendly.
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