Cycling is popular everywhere, but it remains a relatively unsafe sport when practised on public roads. In the October 2014 issue, we reported on smartphone applications that share users’ positions with vehicles with connected-car ability and can warn drivers so that they can avoid collisions. Volvo has taken this technology a step further and, in conjunction with Ericsson and protective sports gear manufacturer POC, recently presented an innovative safety technology at International CES, an electronics and consumer-technology tradeshow hosted in Las Vegas. The idea remains to monitor cyclists’ smartphones to track their positions and relay the information to Volvo cars through Volvo Cloud, but the new tech also alerts cyclists of possible collisions via a head-up display that uses lights under the leading edge of the helmet. The technology is still in the prototype phase; it will require far wider implementation of connected-car systems across all vehicles before a notable improvement in cyclist safety is achieved.
