The n+ officially licenced Volkswagen eBikes are engineered with the same safety-first philosophy as a modern passenger vehicle, rather than focusing solely on motor power and battery capacity. This entails the addition of automotive-inspired technologies designed to improve rider awareness to other motorists, visibility and confidence in everyday riding.
As the number of eBikes on city streets increases, so does the number of accidents. The solution to this problem is eBikes with the same preventative safety technology as passenger vehicles so that bikes can anticipate vehicles and vehicles can anticipate cyclist’s road movements.
The new Volkswagen eBike incorporates an intelligent radar-activated rear-view camera system called Smart View for this very reason. It is designed to eliminate one of cycling's greatest compromises - having to take your eyes off the road ahead and look behind you.
Mounted seamlessly into the handlebars like a modern car cockpit, the integrated high-definition camera provides a live rearward view while riding, allowing cyclists to remain aware of approaching traffic without turning their head.
Working in tandem with the rear-view camera technology, Smart View also features radar-activated blind spot alerts, signalling to riders’ vehicles approaching, significantly enhancing situational awareness on busy city streets.
Cycling accidents are often caused by a motor vehicle not anticipating a rider’s movement through traffic, so the Volkswagen eBikes have introduced behavioural braking and turn indication lighting.
There is also a full-length illuminated LED strip integrated directly into the top tube. This functions as a high-visibility daytime running light, dramatically increasing the bicycle's visibility from multiple angles throughout the day. The illuminated LED illuminates red when braking and amber when turning, to signal the cyclists’ intentions to all other road users.
n+ have also developed a new Volkswagen-licensed Smart Helmet that extends the eBike’s safety ecosystem beyond the bicycle itself. This is Bluetooth sync’ed seamlessly with the eBike. It incorporates high-visibility LED lighting and works in unison with the Smart Lights, rearward signalling braking and turn indication to other motorists.
The smart technology extends beyond lighting with a built-in accelerometer that can detect a crash and sends a text message to loves ones in the event of an emergency.
Working in conjunction with Smart View, Smart Glasses allow riders to access key riding information without unnecessary distractions, keeping their focus on the road while remaining informed.
Inspired by a modern motor vehicle heads-up display (HUD) navigation prompts, rear-view blind spot alerts and intelligent ride information are presented within the rider's natural field of vision. Intentional eye movement top-right activates and deactivates the Head Up Display seamlessly.
Developed by the same engineers who invented the fighter-pilot HUDs - presenting telemetry to the pilot onto the helmet lens, where milliseconds matter. These Smart Glasses are not limited to the eBike, they can be used as the ultimate smart glasses for anything from action sports to a spirited motorcycle ride or drive.
“Technologies like these are most commonly known from the automotive world” said Peter Jost, CEO of Volkswagen CEO Volkswagen Accessories, Lifestyle & Licencing Business. “Seeing them make their way onto an e-bike demonstrates how technologies can evolve and be adapted in meaningful ways.”
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