Honda announce "life saving" GPS technology



At the Car2Car Communication Consortium event in Dudenhofen, Germany, Honda have revealed a biker safety initiative that uses GPS data to warn riders and drivers about potential collisions, allowing time to react.

The design of this safety system was heavily inspired by the EU-backed Motorcycle Accident In-Depth Study (MAIDS), which found that 35% of motorbike accidents were collisions at intersections and right-turn collisions (left-turn in continental Europe and the US).

Eight vehicle manufacturers have participated in the technology, known as Vehicle To Vehicle (V2V). Using on-board V2V technology, bikes and cars can constantly swap GPS information including position, direction and vehicle dynamics. This allows riders to be alerted of potential danger either by an indicator display or an in-helmet audio warning sent via Bluetooth; likewise, car drivers can receive alerts on their navigation system displays.

Honda have a strong reputation for innovation in bike safety, having launched the first motorbike airbag in 2006, as well as announcing electronically-controlled Combined ABS for the SuperSport range earlier this year.





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