Automotive

Volvo system connects cyclists with cars, via their helmets

Volvo system connects cyclists with cars, via their helmets
The system tracks the location of both cyclists and Volvo cars
The system tracks the location of both cyclists and Volvo cars
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The system tracks the location of both cyclists and Volvo cars
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The system tracks the location of both cyclists and Volvo cars
Drivers are alerted via their car's head-up display
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Drivers are alerted via their car's head-up display

Almost a year ago, Volvo announced that it was working with Swedish helmet manufacturer POC to develop a car-to-cyclist safety system. At the time, little information was available regarding how the system would actually work. Today, however, the automaker provided some details.

First of all, cyclists must be carrying a smartphone running an app such as Strava, which tracks their location in real time. That information is sent to a cloud-based program, as are the locations of all Volvo cars that are part of the system.

If the software detects that a cyclist and a car are on a collision course, it will send a proximity alert to both of them. The cyclist will be notified by a helmet-mounted warning light visible in their peripheral vision, while the driver will be alerted via their vehicle's head-up display. Both parties can then take evasive action.

Drivers are alerted via their car's head-up display
Drivers are alerted via their car's head-up display

Swedish mobile communications company Ericsson is also involved in the project. There's no word on whether or not a system-specific helmet must be used, although more information will be provided when the technology is presented next month at CES. In the meantime, you can see it demonstrated in the short video below.

Volvo has previously broadened its radar/camera-based Pedestrian Detection system to include cyclists.

Source: Volvo

3 comments
3 comments
Gregoid
Nice idea but that alarm would be flashing everytime you approach an intersection wouldn't it?
From what I see here I can't imagine relying on this device. Do bikes always give way or do cars get the alert too? If so this system gets a lot more complicated as it needs to work out who has right of way and what happens if someone doesn't.
Ilya Katsnelson
Nice idea too, but why does it have to be so complicated? The helmet sends the location to the cloud, the car sends location to the cloud, some very complicated algorithm predicts location in real time and sends back. Seriously? Wouldn't be much simpler to basically send the accelerometer data over an open BlueTooth channel? BT is short range protocol, if a car can receive the data (with some checksum) the bike that transmitted it is very close. I do commute by bike and I will be delighted if my presence, especially at night, will be alerted to the dosing or phone-using driver of some SUV.
beverlypotts
Its a nice idea but at the same time it would be harmful also. May be it will distract the cyclist and the real-time application may be complicated for use because the time the cyclist and the car drive get the indication may be the collision had happen. So there is need of much more improvement in this technology.