Road Safety

We expect new cars to be better than old cars given how much engineering goes into improving them. Why then, do new vehicles sometimes feel more difficult to drive than models from decades ago? A new IIHS study supplies some sanity-saving answers.

The simply-named Oi, made by Australian cycling gear company Knog, is a bike bell for people who don't like bike bells. Such folks may be particularly keen on the latest model, the Oi Prima, as it's sleeker and better-functioning than ever before.

Most modern cars offer automated ADAS tech that works to keep drivers safe. Some drivers find their winks and prods irritating and unnecessary, however. A recent study has shown that use of them also modifies driver behavior, sometimes for the worse.

Bicycle lights don't do you much good if you forget to bring them or charge them. The wÿnd helmet was designed with that fact in mind, as it features a set of hand-crank-charged lights that you simply pull out and mount on your bike whenever needed.

The inventors of the three-point seatbelt are back, giving the life-saving device a high-tech upgrade. Thanks to integration with multiple sensors and the ability to make rapid micro-decisions, the new belts will offer even more passenger protection.

Some folks don't like bicycle helmets because the things wobble around on top of their heads like big, loose mushroom caps. That's where the Echo Pro comes in, as its sides can be squeezed in and locked in place for a firm, sleek fit every time.

Studies have shown that many people don't commute by bike due mainly to a fear of being hit by cars. A new bike-mounted proximity sensor has been designed to help such folks, by objectively telling them which streets are the safest for cyclists.

While in-vehicle collision avoidance systems may be good at detecting big targets like automobiles, they're not as adept at detecting bicycles. Radian's Wingman was designed to address that problem, by boosting bikes' radar and LiDAR visibility.

Many cyclists are riding blind and risking serious injury, with more than than one in 10 having experienced an accident that they found was due to a structural failure undetected in the bike. Researchers are calling for more stringent testing of bikes.

Folding bicycle helmets are nothing new, nor are electronically-augmented "smart" helmets. The Woolf, however, is claimed to be the first product to combine the best aspects of both helmet types in one wearable device.

Volvo has taken to a cutting-edge technique for reconstructing scenes in 3D virtual worlds to help its cars' safety software expect the unexpected. It could help the automaker develop safer ADAS features for future vehicles.

CFMoto recently revealed images of its new sportbike, the 750SR-R, and the renders showed what looks like a seatbelt, which fits in nicely with the patent CFMoto filed last year – the first-ever bike with a seatbelt could be just around the corner.