Last week it was lasers, now the bicycle industry looks to be entering into the world of radar. At least, once iKubu officially introduces their new Backtracker, that is. Designed by the Stellenbosch, South African engineering team, Backtracker is a soon to be released product that brings bicycling safety to futuristic new heights. You’ll have to wait for the official launch for all of the details, but you can find out how the Backtracker works after the jump…
Thanks to their background in computer vision, rapid prototyping, and commercial radar systems, iKubu was able to package an entire radar detection system into a rear unit not much larger than a standard rear light. The radar is said to be able to detect vehicles up to 140m (459 ft) away, and alerts you to their presence through the handlebar mounted front unit. As the vehicle approaches, Backtracker provides three important functions – it begins to flash the rear light more rapidly to alert the car of your presence, and it informs you of both the car’s distance and speed relative to you.
All in all, it seems like a pretty trick little system and if it improves riders’ safety, we’re all for it. Pricing and availability is to be determined, but iKubu plans on launching the Backtracker in the next few weeks through a crowd funding campaign. You can sign up for more details here, and check out the videos below of the Backtracker in action.
Depending on the price, is this something you would use?
