Ouch, what was that?
Oh don't worry, just another cyclist ricocheting off my door panel. Nothing to worry about.
Nothing to worry about?
Nope. Well, if he didn't want to get hurt he shouldn't have gone out on a bike in the first place. Still, the good news is that car-bike interfaces (ahem) are about to become a thing of the past thanks to clever new technology being launched by Jaguar Land Rover.
Called 'Bike Sense' the new gear is a development of existing technology that gives us parking radar and blind spot warnings. Basically, it is little ultrasound sensors and cameras that can detect when a bike is nearby and warn you. But rather than just give a generic beep or a warning light in the wing mirror, Bike Sense will send a bicycle-bell sound through the stereo speaker closest to the bike, which provides a directional warning that is easier for the driver to understand. There's also a shoulder-tap vibration function in the seat back that tells you which side a motorbike or bicycle has been detected on and directional LED lights in the door frames, windscreen and roof pillars give a visual warning.
When you're stopped, the system continues to work and it will light up and vibrate the door handle if you're about to swing your door out into the path of an oncoming cyclist or biker. The system can prioritise the bike nearest you, just in case you accidentally drive into the middle of the Tour De France peloton.
Dr Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology, Jaguar Land Rover, said: "Human beings have developed an instinctive awareness of danger over thousands of years. Certain colours like red and yellow will trigger an immediate response, while everyone recognises the sound of a bicycle bell."
"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," added Dr Epple. "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."
Neil Briscoe - 21 Jan 2015