Volvo has developed a “smart helmet” for cyclists

A Swedish trio of companies has developed an innovative bike helmet equipped with a high-tech sensor which will warn cyclists and drivers alike of impending traffic using a cloud-based two-way communication system. Car manufacturing giant, Volvo teamed up with multinational tech firm, Ericsson and sports gear producer POC to create a new safety helmet which uses proximity alerts to minimize accidents. The system enables cars and bicycles to communicate, even when they can’t see each other.

With close to 50,000 cyclists getting killed or injured in the U.S. every year, safety is a top priority for anyone who climbs on a bike. Volvo, sports gear manufacturer POC and Ericsson are looking to change this picture with a new connected helmet that links to a cloud database and warns cyclists about potential danger nearby. The helmet works with a third-party smartphone app (such as the already popular Strava) to constantly report the cyclists position back to the cloud. Volvo cars fitted with the right technology can then display smart alerts whenever there’s a cyclist in the vicinity and vice versa — imagine your helmet flashing red if a car is about to cross your path at the next junction. It’s only a concept idea at this stage and there’s still work to be done — a constant connection to the Web is required by both cars and bicycles — but the invention shows promise and could eventually help cut down the number of accidents happening on the road. The kit will be demoed further at the CES conference in Las Vegas in January.