This is long overdue.
Here in the United States, you’d be justified in calling cycling infrastructure lacking. We’re no Amsterdam. Cyclists (at least the ones we know) often complain about feeling unsafe on the road due to the proximity of cars, especially on major roadways where cars exceed 40 mph. Audi hopes to put some of these fears to rest.
Back in March, Audi announced it was partnering with Spoke Safety to introduce technology that will help make drivers more aware of cyclists. Now, that technology is almost ready. Audi calls it C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything). It’s not the catchiest name, but the work Audi’s safety tech does could save lives.
The software, shown here in use on an Audi e-tron SUV, can alert drivers of an approaching cyclist, as well as alert cyclists of the approaching vehicle. Some of this system sits upon existing Audi safety tech, like proximity warnings and front/rear collision avoidance. However, there are some new features that’ll help keep you from pasting your local spandex-clad hobbyists. First, there’s Rider Back Alert, which occurs when a bike is approaching from over your shoulder, like when a car is parallel parked.
There’s also Right and Left Turn Assist, which is essentially the same warning functionality as Rider Back Alert. The system uses Audi’s C-V2X, in addition to an array of sensors on the brand’s cars, to alert both motorist and rider. Audi doesn’t say how riders will be alerted. Perhaps via a flashing of the car’s lights or an audible alert from the rider’s phone (hence the cellular part of the tech).
What Audi does say is that existing sensors on the brand’s lineup will help the technology work. That includes cameras on the car as well as lidar and radar sensors. Alerts are shown in the gauge cluster, along with a predicted path for the oncoming cyclist. Again, we imagine these will be accompanied by an audible alert noise.
In short, think of this much like blind-spot monitoring technology, but for cyclists. Given a motorcycle’s small size, we expect the technology to have some applications there as well. Audi hasn’t provided a release timeline and says that its C-V2X tech is still very much in development.
