By Udita Shukla
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017, held in Las Vegas, US, had an exhibit particularly of interest to all bikers and cyclists. The French technology start-up Cosmo Connected showcased its removable, connected brake light that can be programmed to either switch on or blink in a certain pre-defined pattern every time the vehicle decelerates.
Features of Cosmo
A distinctly visible light, Cosmo is loaded with twelve Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) which are affixed to the rear of a motorcycle helmet via a magnet. The outer structure is constructed using polycarbonate and Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber, which makes it amazingly weather-resistant. In order not to burden the user with additional overhead weight, the product has been kept extremely light—one hundred and fifty grams—with an average battery life of around eight hours on a single charge.
The brake light comes with a built-in accelerometer through which it can sense the application of the brakes by the driver. This stimulates an automatic response, turning on the normal brake light. Alternatively, a smartphone app can be pre-set to flash in a certain pattern determined by the user.
Cosmos is putting safety first
The technology comes as a saviour for those who frequently drive two-wheelers in harsh weather with unfriendly visibility conditions. In the case of a collision, Cosmo is programmed to warn the emergency services and to send them geographical co-ordinates and the cyclist’s medical profile via the connected smartphone app. Moreover, if fed into the app, alerts would also be sent out to all the drivers’ emergency contacts. As is the case with every other connected car device on the market today, Cosmo is also able to provide real-time, shareable geolocation to trusted parties.
The firm’s goal is to set the highest standards in safety for on-road two-wheeled commuters. According to Romain Afflelou, president of Cosmo Connected, “Our goal with Cosmo Connected is to create a new safety standard for motorcyclists.” But Cosmo’s significance extends beyond the individual user, as it is capable of compiling statistics on high-risk zones for motorcyclist collisions, using anonymised data from all the devices in use.
Connections with other upcoming technologies
Automation is now influencing the working of many bureaucratic institutions and research organisations. The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and road-worthy smart sensors has revolutionised the way information is gathered. Decisions regarding which route to adopt for a journey, the right season to plan a trip, and the many other miscellaneous decisions that we make in our daily lives will increasingly depend on the information furnished by smart devices and apps like Cosmo.
One of the major concerns analysts share is the insulation of private information and to protect the control centres of these devices from cyber hacks. Indeed, last year a Tesla Model S was remotely hacked from a distance of twelve miles, while its brakes were disabled and control of the door locks, computer dashboard screen, and other electronically controlled features was lost.
There is a strong market for Cosmo
The market for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) features in automobiles has already taken off. Howveer, while the market is already flooded with devices that provide vehicle diagnostic updates, safety notifications, real-time geolocation, etc. for four-wheelers, very few ‘smart’ devices exist for two-wheelers.
When it comes to for two-wheelers, the automotive industry is ripe for gadgets which facilitate smoother navigation through rough weather and dense traffic, and are reasonably priced. Retailing for around $99, Cosmo Connected is set to capture the market with its close match to the end customer’s needs. The launch of Cosmo Connected represents a new trajectory in the sector of vehicle safety technologies for bikes. In the words of Afflelou,“Cosmo is not just a connected gadget, but a powerful tool designed to save lives.”
Featured Image Source: Flickr
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