- Volkswagen and n+ have unveiled a premium new eBike range
- It features a rear-view camera and radar-based blind-spot warnings
- Smart glasses and a connected helmet complete the safety ecosystem
Volkswagen has taken some of the most advanced safety features from its passenger cars and squeezed them onto an electric bicycle, unveiling what is claimed to be the world’s first eBike with an integrated rear-view camera and dashboard display.
Developed in partnership with premium eBike manufacturer n+, the new Volkswagen-licensed electric bicycles are designed around the same “safety-first” philosophy that has informed 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 engineered 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 rear-view camera with radar-assisted traffic monitoring.
Neatly integrated into the handlebars, the display takes a real-time feed from a high-definition camera mounted on the rear mudguard that allows riders to see what is happening behind them without having to turn their heads. 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 resembles the camera mirror systems increasingly found in modern passenger vehicles, and the company says it could represent one of the most significant safety advances to hit the eBike market in recent years.
Volkswagen and n+ have also developed a full-length illuminated LED strip that runs through the bike’s top tube. The system acts like an automotive daytime running light but can also illuminate red when braking and amber when turning, signaling a rider’s intentions to other road users.
An optional Smart Helmet can synchronize with the eBike via Bluetooth, mirroring the bicycle’s lighting signals and incorporating a built-in accelerometer that can detect crashes and automatically send text messages to loved ones in the event of an emergency.
Then there are the 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 ride information directly into a rider’s field of vision.
Peter Jost, CEO of Volkswagen Accessories, Lifestyle and Licensing Business, said that technologies like these are “most commonly known from the automotive world” and that seeing them arrive on an eBike demonstrates how safety systems can “evolve and be adapted in meaningful ways”.
Despite the plethora of new technologies onboard, the innovative eBikes are priced to rival premium competitors, with Sport models starting at £3,999 in the UK (around $5,300/AU$7,700), which includes the Smart View rear-view monitor. The Smart Helmet and Smart Glasses cost an additional £499 (around $670AU$960) each.
Analysis: are automotive safety systems the next big thing in eBikes?
As cities become increasingly congested and more people turn to electric bicycles as an alternative to driving, safety is rapidly becoming one of the biggest battlegrounds in micromobility.
While innovations in recent years have largely centered on extending range and increasing power, there has been comparatively little focus on helping cyclists avoid accidents in the first place.
Many companies that specialize in cycling accessories have come up with safety solutions that help increase visibility and awareness of other vehicles, but this often requires cyclists to bolt on awkward pieces of technology.
Having it neatly integrated into the bicycle itself feels like a logical solution, and with commuters looking for ever-cheaper ways to get from A to B, these could very well be the sort of innovations that persuade motorists to ditch their cars in favor of something leaner and greener.
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