I'm not sure if I file this under the How Come They Get All the Cool Stuff category or the Safety is the New Horsepower banner, but the following news item certainly reinforces the idea that Europe is leading the charge for active safety technology.
According to MCN, a program called Saferider was recently introduced at a safety conference in Brussels. The technology features a handlebar-mounted device that tells a rider when he or she is entering a turn too fast, breaking the speed limit, or getting too close to an obstacle. Similar to BMW's "Uncrashable Bike"-- at least in theory-- this proposed system is expected to undergo on-road testing in 2010, and is backed by the Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations.
The motorcycle community isn't the only place seeing radical new technology like this; Wired.com recently posted an item about a Europe-only General Motors system that can read road signs and warns car drivers when they're wandering from their lanes. That said, would you mount a contraption to your bike if it had the possibility of saving your life, or will you always trust your instincts to get you out of potentially sticky situations?
Photo © MCN
Don’t believe everything you read at MCN. National Inquirer springs to mind. I was at the same meeting as they were yesterday. It’s not at all like that….. It’s just a study group doing “what ifs”.
Oh yeah, that will help alright. That rates right up there with the announcement that Chrysler is going to put an internet connect in their cars. Surf the web and send emails while driving…that ought to work just fine. Probably improve our gene pool though.