BMW Motorrad

BMW Motorrad has unveiled a revolutionary helmet at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that could transform the way that motorbikes are ridden and make the roads safer for bikers and other road users alike.

Enabling motorcyclists to keep their eyes on the road at all times, BMW’s ConnectedRide head-up display (HUD) helmet displays the bike’s speed, tyre pressure, oil and fuel levels, selected gear, speed limit and road-hazard warnings, just like BMW’s automotive HUD units. Users can control the helmet for five hours with the clutch hand, using BMW Motorrad’s multi-controller.

Having all of this information readily available in the motorcyclist’s line of sight would help to streamline the flow of information, saving precious seconds glancing down at gauges and mirrors instead of concentrating on the next corner or the movements of surrounding vehicles.

BMW envisages that future vehicle-to-vehicle communication with real-time accident and traffic information could reach the rider from beyond visual range. Navigation information and a rear-view camera could be displayed too, plus the ability to identify and locate the riders in a group in case a wrong turn is made.

Although technology in car headlights has advanced in recent years, motorcycle headlights have not benefited from the same upgrades - but BMW has a solution for that. For CES, BMW fitted a laser headlight system to their K1600GLT touring bike; with the benefit of exceptionally pure white light and a high-beam range of almost 2,000ft, this technology has the potential to revolutionise riding.

BMW’s ConnectedRide HUD helmet will be an advantageous tool for the motorcycling populace, so could prove to be a success when it goes into series production, which is hoped to be within the next few years, plus laser headlights would assuredly promote safer riding, with motorcyclists more visible on the roads.