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Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is developing a range of new technologies that will use colours, sounds and touch inside cars to alert drivers to potential hazards and prevent accidents involving bicycles and motorbikes.
JLR's 'Bike Sense' concept technology research will aim to identify the best warning colours and sounds that will trigger an instinctive response from the driver to prevent accidents. For example, door handles will ‘buzz’ the driver’s hand to prevent doors being opened into the path of bikes and accelerator pedals will vibrate if moving the car would cause an accident.
Dr Wolfgang Epple, director of research and technology, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Bike Sense takes us beyond the current technologies of hazard indicators and icons in wing mirrors, to optimising the location of light, sound and touch to enhance this intuition. This creates warnings that allow a faster cognitive reaction as they engage the brain’s instinctive responses. If you see the dashboard glowing red in your peripheral vision, you will be drawn to it and understand straight away that another road user is approaching that part of your vehicle.”
“By engaging the instincts, Bike Sense has the potential to bridge the gap between the safety and hazard detection systems in the car and the driver and their passengers. This could reduce the risk of accidents with all road users by increasing the speed of response and ensuring the correct action is taken to prevent an accident happening.”
Nearly 19,000 cyclists are killed or injured on UK roads every year.
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