Honda has shown a type of eye-in-the-sky monitoring system that could help prevent collisions between motorcycles and cars.
The system was shown at the "Car 2 Car" Consortium in Germany. It’s a car-to-bike communication device that uses Global Positioning System technology to warn riders of other vehicles in the area.
From Honda’s website: "The system generates warnings to riders and drivers of other vehicles by continuous exchange of positioning data from satellite GPS sources. This is particularly relevant as road users approach intersections, alerting them to other vehicles that are potentially on a collision course, allowing avoidance manoeuvres."
One advantage of the V2V system would be that it scans in a 360-degree circle, so vehicles coming up behind the rider would be noticed.
The V2V system presents information on a head-up display for the rider, and can also send warnings through a helmet audio system.
No word yet on commercial availability, but like the Gold Wing’s airbag, it will likely become available if tests show that it works. And like the Gold Wing, it won’t likely be cheap.
why can’t i just have a radar on my bike? and then some side mounted mini rocket launchers that can seek targets within 500m or something. yeah, that’d be cool. but maybe the flame from the rocket would burn my legs. hmmmm.
maybe one day.
or how about infra-red HUD in a helmet? (I actually looked into that, the IR cameras are bloody expensive….
I think the point is that this system warns of traffic you can’t see even if you look. Besides, you might be busy watching your handlebar-mounted gameboy.
Oh ltate, you luddite, don’t you know technology will protect us from everything? 😡
Wouldn’t it be simpler to keep your eyes open and watch the road rather than another screen?