• 2 min read
Volkswagen’s new e-bike adds radar and a rear camera
Volkswagen and n+ unveiled an e-bike lineup with a rear camera, radar, smart lighting, a synced helmet, and AR-style smart glasses.
Image: iXBT
Volkswagen is pushing car-style safety tech onto two wheels. Working with n+, the company unveiled a new e-bike lineup built around urban safety, with features more commonly found in modern cars.
The headline feature is Smart View, a system that combines a rear camera with a radar that tracks vehicles approaching from behind. The video feed appears on a display built into the handlebar, and the rider gets an alert if traffic is closing in quickly. The idea is to monitor what’s happening behind without turning around while riding.
Volkswagen also put heavy emphasis on lighting. An LED strip integrated into the frame works as daytime running lights, turns red automatically during braking, and flashes yellow during turns to warn other road users in a way that resembles a car’s brake lights and turn signals.
For added safety, the company also developed accessories around the bike. A branded smart helmet syncs with the bike’s lighting system, has its own light indicators, and can detect crashes. In a serious collision, it can automatically send a message to preselected contacts.
Recommended reading
Chery packs 26 sensors into Exeed Exlantix ES 2027
The ecosystem also includes smart glasses linked to the camera and radar. They project navigation prompts, road-condition warnings, and other information in front of the rider’s eyes. According to Volkswagen, the technology is based on work by engineers who previously developed data-display systems for military aviation.
Taken together, the new e-bike gets a full suite of automotive-style systems: a rear-view camera, environment-monitoring radar, intelligent lighting, automatic crash alerts, and a projected display for city riding.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via iXBT
