In today’s world of inattentive drivers, the idea of bicycles sharing the roadways with cars can be downright terrifying for cyclists. After all, there’s nothing like an imaginary three-foot buffer to keep you safe from that speeding, distracted driver. Jaguar Land Rover is looking to change that, however, with the development of a new safety technology that helps warn drivers if they are too close to a bicycle or if one could be approaching from a blind spot.
Called Bike Sense, the technology uses a series of sensors that detects a cyclist (or even a motorcyclist) and offers three ways to alert the driver if a bicycle is in a car’s blind spot, about to come out from behind a stationary object and even if the driver just isn’t paying attention.
When a bicycle is detected near the vehicle, Bike Sense uses a series of LEDs and audible warnings through the speakers (that sounds like a bicycle bell) to alert the driver of the cyclist’s proximity as well as the direction of travel. If the driver decides to ignore these warnings and still proceeds, Bike Sense incorporates two tactile warnings to alert the driver: a part of the driver’s seat that extends to tap the driver on their shoulder (in the direction the bicycle is approaching from) and an accelerator pedal that vibrates or stiffens up when the driver ignores the warnings and still tries to accelerate.
Perhaps the best part of Bike Sense is the warning that protects bicycles from opening car doors. If a vehicle occupant is opening a car door and the system detects a potential collision with a bicycle, an audible warning will sound and that particular door handle will both light up and vibrate.
JLR has not said when such a technology could make its way into production vehicles, but it will be a welcomed feature for cyclists around the world.
Click past the jump to read more about Jaguar Land Rover’s "Bike Sense" safety system.
Jaguar Land Rover Reveals "Bike Sense" Safety System originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 21 January 2015 07:00 EST.
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