Honda files patent for rear-facing helmet radar system

- A rear-facing camera takes a live feed of oncoming vehicles

- Sends the gathered data to a processing unit

- Rider is notified about a potential crash on the instrument cluster

Honda has filed a patent for a radar system integrated at the rear of a helmet. This system is developed to detect a fast-approaching vehicle at the back and alert the rider about the prospective danger.

The system incorporates a rear-facing camera which continuously captures the visuals of the oncoming vehicles and keeps sending this data to a processing unit. On detecting a vehicle which is proceeding faster than usual towards the motorcycle, this processing unit alerts the rider about a potential threat. The rider is notified through warnings signals displayed on the instrument cluster. 

While this system by Honda sounds useful in preventing accidents, it is at a nascent stage and could have its shortcomings. Firstly, the size and weight of the camera and the processing unit might make the helmet bulky and heavy. Additionally, the range of the radar system and its response time play a vital role in alerting the rider and giving him/her enough time to take necessary action before a potential crash. That said, Honda will have to come up with a system which is compact, light and fast in order to serve its intended purpose.

Owing to the ever-rising risks involved in motorcycling, various companies are developing systems which can make riding a safer affair. Apart from Honda, riding on this bandwagon are Ducati and Suzuki as well. While the former is planning to introduce motorcycles equipped with a radar system by 2020, the latter has filed a patent for anti-accident reflectors for its future bikes. Now, it remains to be seen when these patents go into production by the manufacturers.

Source - RideApart